Weekend Weather

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, JULY 31 through SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2020:
This weekend the rains are weak but the heat is strong. No jetstream overhead. Friday should be clear and hot (100 F or more) and the winds will be fairly light. In Alamogordo, WSW 5-8 mph, in El Paso, East 8-10. Las Cruces and Deming, ESE 10-12. On Saturday we get more chance for precipitation, and maybe lower temperatures. El Paso should be East 10-12, but other areas may see winds more westerly. WSW in Alamgordo, 5-8 mph, SSW in Las Cruces and Deming, 5-8. On Sunday, SSW 5-8 mph in Alamogordo, Las Cruces and Deming, more southerly in El Paso. On Friday, then, I'd recommend trying Dry Canyon and La Luz, Anapra and Torrey Paso. On Saturday, Dry Canyon and La Luz again, and possibly Magdalena Rim and the Little Floridas, Anapra and Torrey Paso. Watch out for afternoon thunderstorms. Finally, on Sunday, Dry Canyon looks possible, as well as Mag Rim and Little Floridas again. Thunderstorms in the afternoon again are possible, then they will likely disappear through the week. In this time of year, predictions are hard to make as there is no definite trend to the winds, so keep an eye on what is really happening, versus a shifty forecast. It looks flyable, and if you get the urge to fly, give me a call! Be careful out there...
-Robin
575-541-5744 home
575-386-8212 cell

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7 through SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 2020:
"It's a dry heat." And this, supposedly, is the rainy season! So far, our precipitation has been underwhelming, and this weekend will continue that trend. Slight chance of precipitation, but mostly dry, and fairly hot - highs around 100 deg F (38 C) with light winds, generally southwest. From Deming to Alamogordo, winds on Friday will be southwest, 5-8 mph. In the El Paso area, though, light north is predicted. On Saturday, SSW, and lighter, with east winds about 5 mph in El Paso. On Sunday, light & variable in El Paso, light SW in Alamogordo and Las Cruces, light WSW in Deming. It looks as though Friday will be our best day of the weekend this time, with Dry Canyon, La Luz, Magdalena Rim, and the Little Floridas all possible launch sites. Saturday you can look again at Dry Canyon, La Luz and Mag Rim, plus Anapra or Torrey Paso in the El Paso area for PG's (too light for HG's, I think). It is probably going to be too southerly to make the Little Floridas launchable. On Sunday, Mag Rim might be ideal for PG's, being so light, and both Dry Canyon and La Luz should work again. The Little Floridas will be light, but launchable I think. Watch out for turbulence on landing, whatever kind of wing you fly, and keep an eye out for thunderstorms just in case we get lucky and have some rain. Be cautious, fly safe, and give me a call if you want to go out. I have a 4WD and a yen to fly! (My summer class is done, in other words. Ah, freedom!) Hope to see some of you this weekend.
-Robin
575-541-5744 home
575-386-8212 cell

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 through SUNDAY, AUGUST 16, 2020:
Looks like another hot, dry weekend for us here in the desert Southwest. A slight chance of afternoon rain in Alamogordo on Sunday, but otherwise look for high temps in the 100 to 105 degree F range (39 C) around the area, with south to southeast winds, fairly light. On Friday, it looks like Dry Canyon, Magdalena Rim and the Little Floridas will all be launchable, with winds 5-8 mph out of the south-southwest and west. Dry Canyon might be OK on Saturday (light south) but I don't see any other good possibilities. On Sunday, with the easterly flow around 8-10 mph, Anapra and Torrey Paso might work for paragliders. Ah, the dog days of August... It looks to me like another weekend to hide out in the (air conditioned) bunkers, and wait for some more favorable conditions to come.
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, AUGUST 21 through SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 2020:
This is becoming the hottest August I've seen, in my 40 years in New Mexico I'm afraid that our weather this weekend will be much like last weekend's: Hot, dry and mostly calm. Winds will have a notable easterly flow to them, if "winds" is even the right word. Friday, we should see some WNW breezes, with the exception of Deming where it actually blows in 10 to 15 mph from that direction. Little Floridas might be the place to fly, that day. On Saturday, winds are light and easterly all over. Anapra and Torrey Paso, with PG's, is your best bet that day. Finally, on Sunday the gentle zephyrs will be mostly east and ESE. In Alamogordo, there might be some light westerly wind early in the day, and then light SSE, which is actually launchable at Dry Canyon, so keep that in mind - it might even be a good XC day from there. I'm free to fly this weekend if anyone has the urge to go out in the 100-degree heat. Be safe, and let us all know if you get some airtime!
-Robin
575-541-5744 home
575-386-8212 cell

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 through SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020:
This weekend is similar to last weekend - hot, dry, and mostly calm. High temperatures will be 100 F or more (38 C) over most of the area. Sunday it gets a little cooler, though, and there's possibly going to be more wind that day as well. Perhaps the high pressure bubble is breaking up at last? There's a small chance of rain on Saturday evening, too. On Friday, the winds are southwest, 5-8 mph, across our region. Dry Canyon, La Luz, Magdalena Rim, Little Floridas, Agave Hill and Nelson's Launch should all be flyable. On Saturday, SW in Alamogordo, 5-8 mph, so Dry Canyon and La Luz are still good. In El Paso, about 5 mph out of the west - pretty light, but launchable at Agave Hill and Nelson's for PG's. It's likely to be NNW in Las Cruces, but west, 5-8 in Deming, so the Little Floridas are possible. On Sunday, we finally get some winds. In Alamogordo, W 8-10 mph, so both Dry Canyon and La Luz should work well. El Paso, WNW 5-8, so Agave Hill should still be flyable. In Las Cruces, W 10-12 which might be too westerly for Mag Rim, but not out of the question. And it should be W 10-15 in Deming, so the Little Floridas ought to be soarable. All in all, if you don't mind the heat, this should be a pretty good weekend for airtime. Give me a call if you want to go out! I'd like to fly.
-Robin
575-541-5744 home
575-386-8212 cell

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, SEPT. 18 through SUNDAY, SEPT. 20, 2020:
This is getting to be more like autumn weather - with a bit of carryover from summer monsoon season, at least in winds. No, don't hope for any precipitation - it's not going to happen. What we have are warm (80-90 F) dry conditions, but with east winds over most of the area. This might make Torrey Paso flyable, with wind speeds of 10 to 12 mph, but otherwise the only flyable sites are Dry Canyon and La Luz, where southwest winds of 8-10 mph should prevail throughout the weekend. And that's the forecast for this week - the conditions make it a very brief one. If you want to fly in Alamogordo this weekend, I am up for it - give me a call!
-Robin
575-541-5744 home
575-386-8212 cell

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 through SUNDAY, SEPT. 27, 2020:
This looks like a dry, warm weekend. No precipitation for our area until at least Thursday, and high temperatures in the 95-100 F range (33-35 C). Winds on Friday are light and westerly - though in Deming, they should be 8-10 mph. On Saturday, the whole area will see winds WNW, 10-15 mph in Deming and 8-10 mph elsewhere. On Sunday - same as Saturday, which is great if you like consistency. I would recommend, for foot-launched flight this weekend, the Little Floridas, Dry Canyon and La Luz. On Saturday, La Luz and maybe the Little Floridas will work, and the same for Sunday. It's not the best forecast we can get (southwest would be nice) but it's not unflyable, either - just be choosy about where you go. If you feel like flying somewhere, give me a call - I might be up for it. (It's been a while, that's for sure.)
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2 through SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2020:
Warm. Dry. And not very windy - it's a forecast we've seen before, under this high pressure bubble encompassing the Southwest. On Friday, expect light winds (5-8 mph on the ground) from the south and southwest. Saturday, mostly light NW, about 5 mph. Sunday, mostly ESE, except SW in Alamogordo - again, about 5 mph. The places to fly? Dry Canyon, La Luz, Mag Rim, Little Floridas, maybe Nelson's Launch - all on Friday. On Saturday, try La Luz, but you'll likely have a sledder there. Sunday, Dry Canyon could be flyable, and maybe Torrey Paso and Anapra - but it probably won't be an epic day. The good news is, the long range forecast for Columbus Day Weekend, at least Friday and Saturday, looks pretty good for Dry Canyon, so keep it in mind. Let me know if you want to fly somewhere this weekend! I could use some airtime.
-Robin
575-541-5744 home
575-386-8212 cell

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 through MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2020:
This weekend is likely to bring some change to the high pressure system we've been under for so long. It'll still be dry, and warm (80's for daily highs) but on Saturday and Sunday a loop of the jetstream could come our way, bringing stronger winds and, on Monday, high temperatures in the 70s F. I expect light west and southwest winds across our region on Friday, which will make most of our sites a good bet for airtime: Dry Canyon, La Luz, Little Floridas, Nelson's Launch and Agave Hill. (Probably too west for good soaring at Magdalena Rim.) On Saturday, the same sites will work well in the morning. By mid-afternoon, however, I expect strong winds from the southwest. Sunday looks pretty strong all day, with winds of 15 mph or more on the ground, especially in the afternoon. The models all seem to show that Monday is a very light wind day, coming from the east about 5 mph or less. I don't foresee much flying on that day. (A few days ago it looked like good NW winds that day, which would make La Luz flyable - but things change, as I noted above.) I expect good soaring for our Columbus Day Fun-Fly on Friday and Saturday, and maybe Sunday morning if the winds relent a bit. I plan to be in the Cox Field LZ on Friday morning, ready to fly throughout the weekend - let's see how it plays out. Hope you all can join me then!
-Robin
575-541-5744 home
575-386-8212 cell

[RobinHastings]

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 through SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2020:
It looks like another warm and breezy weekend, folks. High temperatures in the 70's on Friday, then 80's on Saturday. Friday it looks like SE winds, 10-15 mph except for light south in Alamogordo - Dry Canyon might be flyable that day. Maybe Torrey Paso, too, if it's not too southerly. On Saturday, it looks SSW for the early part of the day - Dry Canyon, La Luz, and Magdalena Rim could be good. As the afternoon goes on, it gets a lot stronger, though. Sunday is much like Saturday, but more westerly. Scratch Mag Rim, substitute Agave Hill and Nelson's Launch, and keep Dry Canyon and La Luz - but go early, at least for the El Paso sites, it's likely to get strong in the afternoon. I hope everyone had fun at the Columbus Day Fun Fly last weekend - I had a marvelous time, myself. Fly safe, everyone!
-Robin
575-541-5744 (home)
575-386-8212 (cell)