A cold front moved ashore today and washed into the high pressure ridge causing variations in the forecasts which could only be viewed as horoscopes. I headed for the mountain which doesn't read forecasts and at Juniper Launch found the wind 90 degrees cross from the South at 5-10 knots after I set up. Exercising patience at launch for the wind to cycle 45 degrees cross and light, I took a fast, long launch run to get airborne. I soon found a mixing layer at 2300' with wispy clouds moving in from the North as shown below.
It's not unusual to find different wind directions at different altitudes flying Diablo and this mixing layer was not at a good level for soaring. I had a short flight trying to work the green hills and found myself over the 1000 Footer LZ. Peering down at the 1000 Footer, I try to guess the wind direction as shown below.
Unless it's strong there is only one approach for the 1000 Footer and today I make sure that I execute the correct path as I skim several feet over the oak trees. Despite flying it right, I find I am fast and long. Good, more practice at tight, crossing tail wind landings. I end up pulling off an aggressive flare at the top of the hill to find the wind 180 degrees opposite from launch blowing lightly out of the North-North-East. Even short flights are a rewarding adventure at Diablo.
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