In summer a low pressure system will often enhance the marine layer and make soaring go from bad to worse at Mount Diablo. However, occasionally, if the low is strong enough, it washes the marine layer out entirely providing rare pre-frontal type soaring. It seem 2010 is the year for atypical weather and today the marine layer began washing out in front of my eyes due to a strong low. I made a mad dash to get off Juniper Launch where I found a good climb over the South-West Bowl Knob.
The marine stratus layer began lifting and turning into a strato-cumulous layer as the air was a mix of ridge and thermic lift.
The best lift was found above the knob and South-West bowl.
I repeatedly went back to launch for a high pass and continually found less lift there. Teri said every time I flew over it became calm and the birds left. Figures. Teri would know as she appears below as the speck standing on launch. Maybe she is taking a picture that will appear as the second one in todays blog posting?
After an hour the sky dried up and the lift died so with a good headwind I put in a steep approach, Sport 2 style, at the 1000 footer. I believe there was an additional hour of good soaring prior to my launch today, but hey, not bad timing this June low.
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