Winds and Temperatures Aloft

[Tom Rankin]

Found this in my wanderings around the internet:

http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/Winds/Aloft.cgi

Might be useful pre-hike beta.

 

[weatherman]

Nice!

Formatted much better than the site I typically use, which requires a bit of decoding. Thanks- one to bookmark!
-Weatherman

 

[Stan]

Here's one I bookmarked from a previous thread here.

http://adds.aviationweather.noaa.gov/winds/

 

[mavs00]

I think I've posted that one stan uses. I'ts the one I us anyway.

I like it cuz it gives a little longer range out (36 hours) and it also gives temps and other usful data along with it so that you can get rough prehike data about wind chill. I see the closest city to where I hike (Adirondacks) is Albany and while it's likely to be close, it's still a bit to the south by 100 miles or more. Probably some variations as you move north.

All the same, Thanks Tom, it's another great tool for planning.

 

[Tom Rankin]

I think I've posted that one stan uses. I'ts the one I us anyway.

I like it cuz it gives a little longer range out (36 hours) and it also gives temps and other usful data along with it so that you can get rough prehike data about wind chill. I see the closest city to where I hike (Adirondacks) is Albany and while it's likely to be close, it's still a bit to the south by 100 miles or more. Probably some variations as you move north.

All the same, Thanks Tom, it's another great tool for planning.

Plattsburgh is on there. It might be a little more reasonable.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

so that you can get rough prehike data about wind chill.

I wonder how useful it is. The wind at level X is not constant throughout. Pertrusions (IE mountians) on the earth surface cause changes and effect it. The air is a thee diminsional thing, not layers of 2 dimensional planes. Look at water running down a stream, and watch the way it flows when it hits rocks. On mountains, you have rising expanding air, which is not 'visible' in those charts.

Also, in the mountains, wind is channeled, funnelled, etc by other mountains. I suspect that charts like these are more useful when you have a single mountain standing alone, than in groups.

 

[Neil]

I wonder how useful it is.

I was planning on going up to 30 000 feet over Platsburgh today but I see the wind chill is at -152. So now I'm taking my facemask and a pair of handwarmers.

I think the site is very interesting but I doubt it would have a big impact on my trip planning/prep.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I was planning on going up to 30 000 feet over Platsburgh today but I see the wind chill is at -152. So now I'm taking my facemask and a pair of handwarmers.

You should also take a third sock. Don'T take chances.

 

[Tom Rankin]

You should also take a third sock. Don'T take chances.

LOL! I had one of those moments on Haystack last winter, when I was underdressed for the windy conditions!

 

[mavs00]

Also, in the mountains, wind is channeled, funnelled, etc by other mountains. I suspect that charts like these are more useful when you have a single mountain standing alone, than in groups.

Geeez Pete, I don't take atmospheric data readings up there or anything like Neil does . Your certainly right about the currents being varied in the peaks as opposed to the lowlands, but It's a rough gauge for me. I've used it a few times and when it said it was gonna be real windy over the high peaks, it was. When it said it was gonna be cold (and for that matter, warm), it was. When it said it was gonna be windy and cold, I pretty much froze my butt off

Both are good tools for that primarily meant for aircrafts, but have a limited crossover benifit for hiking elevations.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Geeez Pete, I don't take atmospheric data readings up there or anything like Neil does

I apologize from the bottom of my heart if I made any kind of comparison between you and Neil.

As far as weather goes, for me, I take what I get, and get down if I'm not prepared for it. I'm too much of a scatter-brain (ask my father) to actually PLAN for things.