Nah, the wind kept up till at least 12:32 when I arrived. Skunk!!!
I went anyway since it was a mental health day. Cruised along with a light breeze about 4-6mph. first I have seen this lake since summer. Who drained the baby pool?
Let me know how it turned out. I almost went about 10 but was afraid it was dying. It seems like east winds die soon after noon.
They do - thus the many "dawn patrol" references. As Bert Eskridge, longtime ABCer and Ph.D. meteorologist, explained, the prevailing upper level winds at our latitude are westerlies. As the air warms during the day and the ground level air rises, it begins to mix. This tends to accelerate westerlies (blows harder in the pm) and kills easterlies. OTOH, if it's overcast, it can blow east all day.
The "dying at noon" thing is for real, though I think sometimes its more like 11 am. Often it seems to happen just like that - not a gradual droppoff but, pretty sudden. Like one minute your planning, the next your finished for the day. Usually the first sign of trouble is when I'm thinking I need to let out some down or outhaul.
Another important fact about easterlies - they can often exceed forecast, particularly in the am hours. The windspeed at 7-8 am is a pretty good guide. If it sounds like enough to sail early, then head out for the lake, since it usually builds for a few hours. This is esp. true in the fall when the lake is warm and the air is cool. I like to see the wind from the ENE or E. NNE or SE doesn't seem to follow this pattern very well. Finally, the wind at the lake is what matters - not the wind in the city. I've seen plenty of times when there was no wind at home, and whitecaps on the lake. In fact, one time I saw a guy launching a hot air balloon just off 400 (usually requires dead calm) and there were whitecaps at Tidwell.
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What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
Webguy,
That is really interesting. Would this mean that Lake Lanier would have the same effects from Easterlies? Because I never hear anyone mention Easterlies dying at noon from Lanier. I thought this was an Allatoona phenomenom.
pk
Patrick -- the same holds true for Lanier and Clarks Hill. Easterlies are almost always best in the early morning, and then taper off as the day goes on.
This is not necessarily true for the coast though. I don't know why though...
Let me know how it turned out. I almost went about 10 but was afraid it was dying. It seems like east winds die soon after noon.
Nah, the wind kept up till at least 12:32 when I arrived. Skunk!!!
I went anyway since it was a mental health day. Cruised along with a light breeze about 4-6mph. first I have seen this lake since summer. Who drained the baby pool?
They do - thus the many "dawn patrol" references. As Bert Eskridge, longtime ABCer and Ph.D. meteorologist, explained, the prevailing upper level winds at our latitude are westerlies. As the air warms during the day and the ground level air rises, it begins to mix. This tends to accelerate westerlies (blows harder in the pm) and kills easterlies. OTOH, if it's overcast, it can blow east all day.
The "dying at noon" thing is for real, though I think sometimes its more like 11 am. Often it seems to happen just like that - not a gradual droppoff but, pretty sudden. Like one minute your planning, the next your finished for the day. Usually the first sign of trouble is when I'm thinking I need to let out some down or outhaul.
Another important fact about easterlies - they can often exceed forecast, particularly in the am hours. The windspeed at 7-8 am is a pretty good guide. If it sounds like enough to sail early, then head out for the lake, since it usually builds for a few hours. This is esp. true in the fall when the lake is warm and the air is cool. I like to see the wind from the ENE or E. NNE or SE doesn't seem to follow this pattern very well. Finally, the wind at the lake is what matters - not the wind in the city. I've seen plenty of times when there was no wind at home, and whitecaps on the lake. In fact, one time I saw a guy launching a hot air balloon just off 400 (usually requires dead calm) and there were whitecaps at Tidwell.
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
Webguy,
That is really interesting. Would this mean that Lake Lanier would have the same effects from Easterlies? Because I never hear anyone mention Easterlies dying at noon from Lanier. I thought this was an Allatoona phenomenom.
pk
Patrick -- the same holds true for Lanier and Clarks Hill. Easterlies are almost always best in the early morning, and then taper off as the day goes on.
This is not necessarily true for the coast though. I don't know why though...