Flying a paraglider or hang glider requires almost constant attention to the weather. Our operating limitations dictate a careful assessment of the current local weather conditions and what's on the horizon.
The Java-based Skew-T or ETA Soundings are awesome tools to see winds, temps, dewpoint and more for the exact area you are looking to fly. Use the nearest airport code, or insert the lat/long coordinates of your favorite launch! Use 34.4 -119.2 for Pine Mtn. Vandenberg's balloon soundings are made into an easy to read format here.
Winds Aloft are one of the most valuable
information sources for the velocity of the air at the different altitudes, as well as the temperature difference as you ascend (better known as Lapse Rate). What are Winds and Temperatures Aloft? Surface Wind Vectors shows a visual map view of the winds for the area, and includes a link to a 12 hour java loop of the wind, and charts for the previous 72 hours
as well. The various Satellite Loops will show you the approaching storms and their track towards the area. These take awhile to load because they are animated, but they are real valuable links.
The Doppler Radar Loop is another great animation, but you'll only use it if there's an impending storm (such as the one shown in the link picture!).
The Call of the Wind is a windsurfing site that will give you wind directions and velocities from many different locations on the west
coast. This one is good if you are interested in coastal ridge soaring at somewhere like Jalama. Don't forget the windtalker on La Cumbre peak - you can call Debbie at 963-4422 for the current wind at the top of the mountain behind Santa Barbara. Also, here is list of more windtalkers installed in other areas. Beaufort scale for wind is a useful reference used to communicate windspeeds.
The Jet Stream analysis will
give you a good idea of the general upper level flow across the area, and this will definitely affect the lower level winds if it is strong! When given UTC (Zulu) time, just subtract 8 and you have the time of the reading. In October to March (daylight savings), subtract 7 for the correct hour.
Feel free to explore the many other links to weather, webcams and other fun stuff that we've gathered here. Please let us know if there's a good link we can add!
Blowing at Painted Cave?
Now you can use your 2-Meter radio to get the time, wind speed (with maybe the direction, soon) and rainfall from the Painted Repeater, (located on Painted Cave Road). Just dial 147.075 (with a + offset and 131.8 tone), and push 888 and you'll get the report! Pretty cool!!
Don't forget to give your call sign, fellow hamsters! Another good reason to get your HAM radio liscence! Thanks, "REG"!!