Utah Windriders Association

The 3-day predictor shows the south turning due west late this afternoon. Can anyone come up with a scientific reason why this might be the case. If that is the case I am thinking about riding SSB. But in all my years I have only rode a west a few times so I am not that optimistic.

I wanted to ride today but from the sounds of it I just wasn't sure I had a small enough kite for South Bay and definately not Rush. Does anyone dare to predict what the winds will be like tonight at Rush (not for riding but for having a tent that doesn't blow down) and then for tomorrow morning at Rush. My smallest kite is a 10m so I'm out of the game at gusts much higher than 35 MPH.

Thanks in advance

Dean,

The best explanation is to read the Discussion on the SLC NOAA website. There is a cool, dry front that is supposed to come in tonight and then move north of us again.

Looks like there will be less wind tonight compared to last night. I think you would be safe setting up a tent at Rush. It appears that the wind will be light until later in the morning/early afternoon tomorrow.

Kenny

Dean...
All of the forecasts are showing a strong west for Saturday. I'm gonna say SSB side shore should be great. Rush will most likely be gusty with lots of holes due to the strong west component in the flow. My money is on great rides at SSB 12-20 mph range.

Derik,

How do you get to the launch spot at SSB? I heard that the normal route is no longer open.

Thank you,

Kenny

Low pressure systems give rise to a counter-clockwise flow around their centers. The current low pressure system is tracking Northeast, so it hit us on the leading edge (giving south wind) and as it tracked over us the winds switched SW and now west as we exit from the southern edge of the system. Easy way to remember this: your left index finger and thumb make an "L" for low. Put the tip of your index on the table and spin in the direction your thumb is pointing -- counter-clockwise. Then as you watch the wind direction change, you can figure out which way the low is moving and figure out where the wind is likely to come from next. High pressure spins clockwise, but it seems like high pressure doesn't give rise to the same quality of wind. I don't have a ready explanation for that. Wind strength is determined by how quickly the pressure changes. You can tell this from isobar maps. Here's a page that will give you pressure map predictions, and you too can figure out which way the wind blows:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/outlook_tab.php

-J

The only way I know of is the dirt road that turns North thru the trees off the SSB dirt road about 1/4 mile before you hit the end of the road, with the river on your left you'll turn right. It has some pretty good rutts so you need a truck but the beach is still launchable as of June 17'th, I just checked it out with my waverunners.