Weekend Weather

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, APRIL 19 through SUNDAY, APRIL 21:
This Easter weekend is, in summary, going to be warm, dry, and somewhat windy. The jetstream will, to a large extent, leave us alone this time. Friday will be a pretty light day. Saturday gets pretty windy, but nothing like the howlers we've had on some Windsdays the past month. Sunday will still be windy, but slightly lighter. So, day by day: Friday, light southwest in Alamogordo, light S-SE elsewhere in the area. On Saturday, strong WSW all over the area (20+ mph). On Sunday we get winds from the WSW over most of the area, generally about 15 mph on the ground, and 15-20 in Deming. My recommendations are to look at Dry Canyon and La Luz on Friday, and early on Sunday. Agave Hill, Nelson's Launch and Kilbourne Hole might be flyable on Easter Sunday, but go real early. Same for the Little Floridas. Saturday is a good day to be doing the yardwork you've been neglecting for so long. If I were going to fly it would probably be on Friday, with Sunday as a possibility if things are light enough. Keep in touch, and if you do some flying, be safe!
-Robin
575-541-5744

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, APRIL 26 through SUNDAY, APRIL 28:
The weekend looks to be warm and dry and somewhat windy. There should be good conditions for soaring, but you'll want to be there early. On Friday we start the day with winds SE to S, fairly light. They switch to SSW by late afternoon, not too strong. Saturday the winds get stronger, mostly WSW. Sunday, about the same as Saturday but a little stronger, 15+ mph on the ground in the afternoon. I think that Friday La Luz, Dry Canyon, and Magdalena Rim (mid-afternoon) will work. On Saturday the Little Floridas should be a good bet, if you are launching before noon. Same for Agave Hill and Nelson's Launch. Dry Canyon and La Luz look possible as well. On Sunday the El Paso sites should be OK again, but be there early. La Luz and Dry Canyon might also work, with the same caveats - be there early, launching well before noon. I'm thinking that an afternoon on Friday at Mag Rim might be nice, or flying the Little Floridas early on Saturday. Towing at the Sod Farms should work on Friday and Saturday, too. Don't forget the RGSA meeting in Las Cruces, 7:00 pm at 1501 Aspen Avenue for barbecue! I'll see you there - or maybe in the air.
-Robin
575-541-5744

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, MAY 3 through SUNDAY, MAY 5, 2019:
Cinco de Mayo! Let's celebrate! Or at least, get some airtime. It'll be a good weekend for that. Warm (highs of 85 F or more) and dry. Winds not too strong, and mostly southwest. No problems with the jetstream, as far as I can tell. Winds on Friday are light north to start, then WSW at 10 mph or so. Saturday and Sunday, southwest winds, 10 to 12. It looks like, on Friday, that Dry Canyon, La Luz, Agave Hill, Nelson's Launch and the Little Floridas should all be launchable and soarable. For Saturday and Sunday you can add in Magdalena Rim. Kilbourne Hole should be flyable in PG's all weekend, and towing at the Sod Farms should be consistent. Let me know if you plan to go out flying somewhere this weekend, and I'll probably be able to fly there, too.
-Robin
575-541-5744

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, MAY 10 through SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2019:
This weekend's flying is chancier than last. Oddly enough, there is a good chance of rain, on Friday and Sunday. Temperatures will be warm, and the jetstream will not be a factor this time, but the rain may dampen our flying situation. On Friday expect light winds from the south in Alamogordo. In El Paso, strong east, and strong southeast in Las Cruces and Deming. Saturday looks pretty good for most of our area. Light southwest winds in Alamogordo, light WSW in El Paso, light SW in Las Cruces and Deming. On Sunday, light SW in Alamogordo again, light SSE in Las Cruces and El Paso, and light SSW in Deming. With all of that in mind, I'd say that Friday is a gamble. Dry Canyon might work if the thunderstorms don't hit, and Anapra if you get there before it blows out. On Saturday you have a lot of options: Dry Canyon, La Luz, Magdalena Rim, Agave Hill, Nelson's Launch, Little Floridas. Towing at the Sod Farms should be fine as well. On Sunday Dry Canyon and La Luz look like your best chances, but the thunderstorms will probably be a factor there. I'm afraid that I'll be unavailable this weekend for flying, but if you go, be cautious - gust fronts and thunderstorms are really bad news when they happen. Fly safe!
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, MAY17 through SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2019:
It looks like we're in for a dry spell in New Mexico and West Texas - no precipitation for at least the next 10 days. Temperatures should be pretty mild this weekend, though, in the high 70's and low 80's Fahrenheit. Pretty nice! Winds on Friday will be strong out of the southwest, making for blowout conditions. On Saturday they get more westerly, and milder - Dry Canyon, La Luz, Nelson's Launch (go early with a PG) and Agave Hill are possible, as well as Kilbourne Hole. Maybe the Little Floridias, too, if it doesn't blow out. On Sunday all the southwest-facing sites should work. Magdalena Rim looks good, as do La Luz and Dry Canyon, Nelson's Launch and maybe Agave Hill and Kilbourne Hole. Towing should be fine at the Sod Farms on both Saturday and Sunday. I hope to be taking Juan Mira up for his last Dry Canyon flight on Sunday, if all goes well, so join us then if you feel like getting a flight in there. My long range forecast for next weekend's fun fly, the Tom and Cindy West Memorial Fly-In at Alamogordo, looks pretty good. Hope to see you all then and there, May 24 through May 27. Be safe, everyone, and enjoy the good conditions!
-Robin
575-541-5744

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, MAY 24 through MONDAY, MAY 27:
This will be another dry weekend. Temperatures in the high 80's to low 90's around our area. Winds will be consistent in direction - out of the southwest, all weekend long. On Friday the winds will be relatively light, 10 to 12 mph on the ground. On Saturday they get stronger, 10 to 15. Sunday sees winds 15-20 in Alamogordo and 20+ elsewhere (25+ in Deming). On Monday, about the same as Sunday. So, on Friday the flyable sites are Dry Canyon, La Luz, Magdalena Rim, Agave Hill and Nelson's Launch, and Little Floridas. Kilbourne Hole should be good as well, for PG's. On Saturday those same sites should be good, but go up early, especially if flying a PG. On Sunday, go out real early if you want to fly, and be on the ground before noon - same sites. It will pretty much be blown out, and Monday will certainly be a blowout. It looks like our Dry Canyon Fly-In will mostly be a Friday/Saturday event, and Sunday morning. I plan to be in the Cox Field LZ as early as possible on Friday morning, and will stay as long as pilots are willing. See you all there, I hope!
-Robin
575-386-8212

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, MAY 31 through SUNDAY, JUNE 2:
This is an interesting weekend for weather. Usually, June is a pretty dry month, and our hottest of the year. In the weekend (and week) to come, we can expect temperatures in the 90+ degree range, but nothing over 100 F yet. (That's 33 to 35 for Celsius.) That's not all that hot, yet. Unusually, though, there's a fair chance of rain this weekend in some areas, and a better chance next week. The moisture is coming up from Mexico this time. The good news is, no jetstream overhead. But if you have a thunderstorm nearby, that be almost as bad. Well. On Friday, expect light winds (10-12 mph) out of the south in Alamogordo, SE and SSE everywhere else. On Saturday, a slight chance of rain in Las Cruces, a little better chance for El Paso and Alamogordo. Winds 10-12 everywhere, WSW in Deming, SSW in Las Cruces, SE in the morning in El Paso and SW in the evening, and south in Alamogordo. Sunday, a fair chance of rain in Alamogordo and El Paso, almost no chance in LC and Deming. Winds south in Alamogordo, El Paso and Las Cruces, SW in Deming. Here's how I see the best chances for airtime this weekend. On Friday Dry Canyon looks good, and maybe Torrey Paso for PG's. On Saturday, Dry Canyon again, if it isn't raining; Torrey Paso in the morning and Agave Hill in the evening, for PG's. Best is the Little Floridas, with very little chance of moisture but probably good winds and thermals. Magdalena Rim should be good as well, if you don't want to go to Deming. On Sunday, it looks like Dry Canyon will work if you don't get into thunderstorms, and again, the Little Floridas should be fine in the late afternoon. Maybe Mag Rim, too. Towing at the Sod Farms looks pretty good all weekend, though the winds could slowly shift direction during the day. I'd like to fly at Mag Rim or the Little Floridas, on Saturday or Sunday, if anyone is interested. Wherever you go, keep an eye on the sky and the clouds, and be safe!
-Robin
575-541-5744

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, JUNE 6 through SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 2019:
We've been seeing some precipitation this week in New Mexico and Texas, and might see some more next week - but expect this weekend to be dry and warm. (Or hot, depending on what you think of high temperatures in the mid-90's F. I've seen worse...) Winds will be consistently southwest and west. Friday they start out light and finish strong - go early. Saturday looks like a blowout all day. Sunday should be much lighter. I see the jetstream overhead late Friday and all day Saturday, but after that it shouldn't trouble us. I'd recommend Dry Canyon, La Luz, Little Floridas, Magdalena Rim, Nelson's Launch and Agave Hill on Friday - before noon - and maybe Kilbourne Hole later on. Good towing at the Sod Farms that day, too - winds should be steady in direction. On Saturday, your best bet is probably to just stay home. On Sunday, you should be able to fly at the aforementioned sites throughout the day. Dry Canyon might be especially good, but don't neglect Mag Rim. Thermals should be pretty good that day. I'm afraid I won't be flying this weekend, but give it a try if you're up for being up. Fly safe!
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, JUNE 14 through SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019:
It looks to be dry, hot and somewhat windy this weekend. Winds are west, mostly. High temperatures will be 95 to 100 F, mostly. And the chances of rain are slight on Friday and zero after that. It looks like Friday will be a WSW blowout, so I'm not recommending any sites for that day. Saturday will be strong, but not as much as Friday, mostly from the west. Dry Canyon, La Luz, Nelson's Launch, Agave Hill, and (very early) the Little Floridas might work. Maybe Kilbourne Hole as well. Sunday looks a lot better. Lighter winds, the jetstream loop moving off to the east. It looks like La Luz, Dry Canyon, Magdalena Rim (after noon), Little Floridas, Nelson's Launch and Agave Hill should all be working. So should the Sod Farms for towing. Sunny and hot, so wear a hat until you put on a helmet. I hope that someone gets some airtime that day; I'm afraid that I will be unavailable yet again, this weekend. Fly safe!
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, JUNE 21 through SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2019:
If ever there were typical June weather for the area, I think that this would be it. Though it actually will be a bit cooler this weekend than what we expect for late June - high temperatures will be in the 95 to 100 range (35 to 38 degrees C) instead of 105 or so. It will be dry, as you'd expect. And windy, at least until Sunday. Friday and Saturday we will see winds from the southwest, 15 to 20 mph. throughout our region. Sunday we get a bit cooler (low 90's F for the highs) and calmer. Winds will be WSW about 10 to 15, and a little milder in Alamogordo. If you like Friday and Saturday for flying, go real early; the wind direction is right for La Luz, Dry Canyon, Magdalena Rim, Little Floridas, Agave Hill and Nelson's Launch. Possibly Kilbourne Hole as well. It may get too strong for consistent towing at the Sod Farms, but that's Hadley's call. On Sunday, I'd say that La Luz and Dry Canyon would be good throughout the day. Go early to Nelson's Launch, Agave Hill and the Little Floridas. Kilbourne Hole might be good, but I think it'll be too westerly for good flying at Magdalena Rim. Towing should be good and consistent at the Sod Farms, all day long. Expect a lot of thermals this weekend - the solar energy will certainly be there! If you want to fly, let me know - I'd certainly like to try it on Sunday. Be safe, everyone!
-Robin
575-541-5744