Jack Womack <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> The dry adiabatic chart generaly says that high
> humidity at lower levels is the very best for thermal
> formation because the moist air is lighter, and add a
> little heat...and presto!!!! These charts are made
> from soundings every day, and predict thermal trigger
> temp., strength, cloudbase, and the tops of the
> thermals...i.e. whether or not it is going to be a
> blue thermal day, or one with a narrow usable lift
> band with low cloudbases. When the weatherman says
> "lots of Gulf moisture", he usually says "and
> instability" to go along with it. Most moisture tends
> to stay in the lower atmosphere. When there is lots of
> moisture at upper levels, it's usually in the winter,
> having ridden up over a front, or in some form of
> tropical depression, like the one that's pummeling us
> in Texas as I write this.
>
> Learned opinion of a full scale glider pilot..
Very interesting, and from an appropriate expert! My assumption
that humid air was less effective because of its lower density was
based on powered flight where high density means more lift, shorter
runways necessary for take-offs, desirable features. Gliding is
a different game altogether. Nice to learn more about it. Any
suggestions for resources on formation of thermals, how to pick them
out, visually or from radar images,...?
Ralph M. [EMAIL PROTECTED], novice would-be [RC] glider 'pilot'
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