Free flyer, we need to know what are the wind conditions and, more so, how they will develop as the day progress - should we decide to get airborne.
Today there is a plethora of meteorological sites; we suggest as follows. For wind and weather XCweather and the MetOffice; they should be read together as
one could be somewhat more accurate for wind data, while the other could be more accurate regarding precipitations.
Webcam:
Stirling Uni. (5min updates)
Alloa Tower (1min updates)
Portmoak (Lomomd Hill) (30min updates)
To fly in our area checking XCWeather for Stirling / Dollar gives a good indication of the wind for the Ochil Hills - while Stirling / Kippen provide wind forecast over the northerly sites.
- XCweather - Stirling
- XCweather - Dollar
- Xcweather - Kippen
Similarly the MetOffice 5-days forecast in the same configuration provides similar data - precipitations being somewhat more accurate.
- MetOffice - Stirling
- MetOffice - Dollar
- MetOffice - Kippen
And for the more scientifically minded:
Weather Chart - Animation
or on Windy:
Weather in Motion
Another source of interest is the "WindAlert" data for: WA - Menstrie
- Thermal conditions:
A good Updraft indicator can be found on the Regional Atmospheric Soaring Prediction (RASP) maps provided by Leeds Metropolitan University.
This site superimposes Updraft predictions over a Google map providing pilot with information on where and how thermals develop during the day. The SHPF has created a 'quick-glance' set of pages - named: Lazy RASP
- that allows an appreciation of conditions before jumping to more details for a particular day and time.
- Practice:
A spot check of any of these sites may mean very little, it is with experience that a pilot learns to assimilate the data provided to a more comprehensive interpretation of the day forecast.
Keep getting at it - observing the weather even on days you are not flying - you will be amazed at how much better you can correlate the data given to what is actually happening.
And yet - it can all be wrong - on occasion!
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