Competition News

Program

10:30 Briefing at the lunch room La Ruinettes (get your tracker before you enter the lunch room)

METEO

(almost no change, but it seems to me that the prognosis has improved slightly :-))

The pressure distribution over Central Europe is relatively flat. A weak south-westerly current will bring dry air to Switzerland at the beginning of the day, gradually becoming more humid and unstable as the day progresses. (MétéoSuisse)

There will be again a slight northerly overpressure on the ground (1-2hp), but a slight southerly overpressure at altitude (the Alps), which leads to southerly winds near the Alpine ridge and south wind above 2000 m. This southerly is much lower as yesterday, and should not affect our flight. Pressure: Approx. 1018, sinking.

A slightly less unstable layer up to 1000 m will hardly slow down the development of thermals in our area. We can expect the development of moderate, partially good thermals from midday, later 2-4/8 with base at 3500, above high relief 3800 and even higher (don’t forget 3950 as max hight). There could be again some Cirrus clouds, and from mid-afternoon, spreading Cu with shadows possibly followed by rain showers in the vicinity (our flight area should remain dry).

Thermal quality: No warm air advection and sinking pressure should give us nicer thermals as yesterday. But Cirrus and later shading from TCU in the south could worsen the thermal quality.

Normal valley winds
1500 m 5-10 N (direction depends on relief)
2000 m 5 kmh N (Dent de Nendaz etc. SW / W)
2500 m 5-10 kmh S
3000 m Verbier 10-15 kmh S, further east less
3500 m Verbier 20 kmh S, further east less
4000 m 25 kmh S

Summary:
As it looks now, we have a reasonable good day, but it ends pretty early again (16 or 17h) with shading.

PS: Saturday looks difficult