Weather Archive for Memorial Day,
5/31/04

Coming off the end of a subsidence / north wind pattern.  The barometer had been high but was falling through neutral.

It was hot in most locations, but not way hot, Ozena hit a hundred, but Ojai was only in the high eighties.  The marine draw through Ojai was just a tad less than typical, but still solid through Cal Trans.  Good beach weather.  The lapse rate for Pine was forecast to be a little sub par.

Hoping the winds aloft forecast were right and we might see light and variable midday, but the morning balloon was still showing about 15 knots from the NW.

Driving up the Sespe, the south was pushing solid upriver to almost Half Moon, but the Sand Pile was stiff down river.  Edward reported upriver flow was pushing up to the Sand Pile as we connected with the convergence about 1:30ish.  The ridge line was North at 8 to 12 with an occasional higher gust, so we didn't bother looking at the south launch.  North side altitudes were maxing in the low to mid 7s.

Airborne, there wasn't much wind, but it was north.  The lift seemed to be coming off and behind the front points.  The ridge line didn't seem to work.  It was lee side OTB about 2/3 of the way out to the river.  We didn't linger looking for max altitude, but did take our one strong convergence core up to ten two.

Smooth air over Ojai up higher.  You could start spelling the smoke about 4K.   Started betting bumpy again below 1,500 over the high school.  I think the pilots launching Ojai were only getting into the mid 4s.