2004
             Daily Log of Soarability
                             HOME PAGE         BACK to 2005           BACK to 2006
FINAL  TOTALS   for   2004:                                                                                
unflyable                              ---    5  days                                                                                       
flyable, but not soarable  ---   41 days                                                                                        
soarable, but weak            --- 106 days                                                                     
GOOD soaring                    --- 140 days                                                                 
GREAT soaring                  ---   74 days
So, it was at least soarable more than 87% of the time,
and it was either GOOD or  GREAT more than 58 %  of the time !
(& we had WAVE of one kind or another on at least 81 days!)
  =============================================================
             On the days we didn't fly our informed guesses appear in BLUE.   
             This log reads from bottom to top, so we can see later days first.
2004
SOARABLE DAYS:  320  ...   CUMULATIVE   SCORE :
603
  For 2 interesting  BAR GRAPHS  showing this same info, scroll below Jan 1
December
SOARABLE DAYS: .......21      MONTHLY  CUMULATIVE  SCORE:
26
2004
WHAT  KIND(s) OF  LIFT  .............  HOW  STRONG,  HOW  HIGH,  HOW  LATE
daily
Dec 31
more low clouds & rain, clearing @ noon.  Ridge lift @ least a ...
+2
Dec 30
fine wave soaring to @ least 12,000, fizzled late when wind changed
+2
Dec 29
ditto (5th unflyable day of 2004)
 -1
Dec 28
big RAIN & low clouds all day (4th unflyable day of the year)
 -1
Dec 27
big WAVE - high superimposed over lower, 20 Kts in the sweet spots
+3
Dec 26
weak wave to at least 12,000 feet
+1
Dec 25
light west breeze & flat temperature gradient:  probably not much lift...
  0
Dec 24
more NE wind.  weaker bow wave, but better ridge lift
+2
Dec 23
NE wind, too rough near hills, but strong bow wave:  6-8Kts to 11+K  
+2
Dec 22
ditto
 +1
Dec 21
north, northeast wind = slope lift
 +1
Dec 20
barely, but there was lift: marginal slope, thermal & wave in tiny spots to 9K
 +1
Dec 19
boo hoo, no lift.  Perfectly clear & gorgeous, but absolutely smooooth
  0
Dec 18
ditto again...
+1
Dec 17
like yesterday, but better
+1
Dec 16
 northeast ridge lift  (12+kts at Baden Powell)  to 11,000 feet,  all day
+1
Dec 15
north, northeast breeze, strong enough aloft to provide good ridge lift
+1
Dec 14
gorgeous, with very little movement in the atmosphere.   Probably another:
  0
Dec 13
weak thermals & shearline on highest ridges, sustainable at best.  Call it a:
  0
Dec 12
blue WAVE (Boundary Peak visible, 240 miles away!)   6+kts  to 13+K
+2
Dec 11
 very clear & calm, 1st 3 consecutive unsoarable days since early March
  0
Dec 10
extremely clear and calm.  Moments of zero-sink thermal
  0
Dec  9
clear with light breeze & stable temperature lapse rate
  0
Dec  8
WAVE, therefore, it was at least a...
+1
Dec  7
nobody around, & the forecast looked like nuthinmuch...
  0
Dec  6
weak thermals to 6K, all afternoon.
+1
Dec  5
very weak shearline to 6K.  Drifted away from airport at 2:30
+1
Dec  4
ditto again (again).   At day's end it looked like WAVE beginning...
+1
Dec  3
ditto again:  therms & shear to 6K in desert & 8K in Mts till after 3:PM
+1
Dec  2
ditto, 300th soarable day of 2004.   Almost a "2", but we'll be modest:
+1
Dec  1
weak thermals, stronger on weak shearline.  2-4kts to 8K, till 3:00 PM
+1

November
SOARABLE DAYS: .......21      MONTHLY  CUMULATIVE  SCORE:
31
2004
WHAT  KIND(s) OF  LIFT  .............  HOW  STRONG,  HOW  HIGH,  HOW  LATE
daily
Nov 30
very weak ridge lift & thermals to 8000 feet
+1
Nov 29
ridge lift & even better 'bow' wave - to somewhere above 9K, all day
+2
Nov 28
ridge lift, improving all day + PM therms ditto.  To 12K in mountains.  
+2
Nov 27
BIG WAVE - easy climb from low over airport in secondary & easy XC
+3
Nov 26
smoooth, steady slope lift on the very top, but not much else - all day
+1
Nov 25
brilliantly clear again, zero sink ridge lift, wave & rotor with a max of 300 foot gain
  0
Nov 24
ditto, with weeeak slope lift to above 8000 feet, all day
+1
Nov 23
brilliantly clear & surprisingly warm with a good temp gradient, but no proof of lift, so:
  0
Nov 22
clearing late for excellent slope lift leading to weak wave, to 9+K till 4:30 PM
+2
Nov 21
Expected good ridge lift, but it lowered & snowed: only the 3rd unflyable day of  2004
 -1
Nov 20
ditto but weaker:  shear lift over the high mts & to the south - not much else
+1
Nov 19
ditto, but BETTER:  Mt. thermals & shearline, 6kts+ to above 9000 ft
+2
Nov 18
gorgeous with VERY lite ridge lift & thermals, but  hardly better than 0-sink:
  0
Nov 17
ditto but earlier & higher -  & convective numbers better:  @ least a:
+1
Nov 16
shearline cumulus above the ridgetops.   Probably  weak  to  above  9K
+1
Nov 15
honest, there were blue therms (4kts), but we'll be over modest & call it a:
  0
Nov 14
ditto.  Double wind strength = GREAT ridge lift, above 9K all day  ++
+2
Nov 13
ditto but better. Good ridge & cu-marked therms 4-7 kts to 9K, all day
+2
Nov 12
ENE breeze.  weak therms & weak ridge:  2-4kts to 9K, till after 4: PM
+1
Nov 11
8kt ridge leading to 4 kt WAVE to 11,500 (+other odd goodies) all day
+2
Nov 10
about the same.  1st consecutive unsoarable days in more than 8 months!
  0
Nov  9
cool and clear.  No surface wind, NW aloft - maybe some ridge lift:  call it a
  0
Nov  8
combinations of soarable rotor & gray thermals 4Kts to 7+K, till 4:PM
+1
Nov  7
weak wave (mostly soarble rotor) & spooky ridge, to 8+K, till 1:00 PM
+1
Nov  6
ridge to above 10 K & thermals in Mts 4-6 kts to 9K, till after 4:00 PM
+1
Nov  5
X-C   WAVE.  4-6 kts at moderate altitudes  (strong at 17,999)  all  day
+2
Nov  4
didn't get forecast winds/wave.  Weak therms, 2-4kts to 8+K, till 4:PM
+1
Nov  3
blue WAVE, PM.  Without question, at least a ...
+1
Nov  2
beautiful, calm & chilly.  Mourning the defeat of reason, our atmosphere took the day off
  0
Nov  1
slope lift with a wavelike form above it 2-4 kts to 10+K   (+ some weak thermals)
+1

October
SOARABLE DAYS: .......   30   MONTHLY  CUMULATIVE  SCORE:
+60
2004
WHAT  KIND(s) OF  LIFT  .............  HOW  STRONG,  HOW  HIGH,  HOW  LATE
daily
Oct 31
ditto, ditto, & ditto
+1
Oct 30
ditto - a bit weaker, but consistent
+1
Oct 29
fine thermals over the second ridge.  4-6 kts to 8K, till 4:00 PM
+1
Oct 28
low clouds & incredibly beautiful.  Therms & shearlines, 2-6kts to 9K till after 5:00 PM
+1
Oct 27
clouds low, but weak wave & weak thermals w/ occasional showers  
+1
Oct 26
WAVE, better all day long.  6+kts at 14K, & much stronger higher up
+3
Oct 25
ditto,  ditto.   2-4 kts  to  nearly  9000  feet,  till  5:00  PM
+1
Oct 24
mountain thermals, well-marked by cumulus:  4kts+ to 8500 feet
+2
Oct 23
ditto,             ditto,              ditto,               etc.
+1
Oct 22
very lite north wind and blue thermals:  2+ kts to 8K, till 5:00 PM
+1
Oct 21
lite northwest breeze with well marked thermals, 2 kts to 7K till 4:PM
+1
Oct 20
occasional showers & soarable WAVE in between, but  to be modest:
  0
Oct 19
more BIG wave, probly strongest of the week. 200th soarable day in a row
+2
Oct 18
more ditto WAVE.  Again, nobody topping out, but 12 kts @ 13K ...
+3
Oct 17
ditto WAVE.  Strong, soarable rotor from low  &  6 kt  thermals to 7K+
+3
Oct 16
WAVE, pure & simple.  Nobody topped out, but  6-8 kts @ 12 K, all day
+2
Oct 15
litest breeze & modest blue therms,  4-6 kts to 9K in Mts, till 5:00 PM
+2
Oct 14
ditto ditto.  Fine ridge lift & blue thermals -  4+Kts to 8K, till  5:00  PM
+1
Oct 13
ditto NE breeze + dust devils.  Blue all day, but would have been about like yesterday             
+2
Oct 12
strong NE breeze:  slope lift & well marked thermals to about 12K, till after 5:00 PM
+3
Oct 11
smooooth 2- 6kt Shearline -  west or east, Mts & desert - strong to 12,500 feet
+3
Oct 10
ridge lift, all along the Mts, all day.  Therms: 6-8kts to above 9K  
+2
Oct  9
WAVE all day (to 18K +?).  Thermals:  4-6 kts to 8,000 till after 6:00 PM
+2
Oct  8
no wind & weaker than in recent days.   4-8 kts to 11K, till after  4:PM
+2
Oct  7
more of the same: converging N & S winds (very light) over Mts.  6+Kts to 12 K + till 5
+2
Oct  6
ditto great numbers & tall dust devils + cus @ 14K above Mts.    But let's be modest:
+2
Oct  5
warmer & better convective numbers + big dust devils.    What the hey,  call it a tres !
+3
Oct  4
more big shearlines, Mts & desert.  4-10 Kts to 13K, till after 5:00 PM
+3
Oct  3
ditto Oct 1: shearlines, mostly in Mts. 4-8 Kts to 13K, till after 5:00 PM
+3
Oct  2
MONSTER shearlines...early & late.  6-12Kts to 13K, till after 6:00 PM
3++
Oct  1
Big shearlines,  4-10Kts  to 12K,  till 6:00 PM.   For Oct, definately a...
+3

Sept
SOARABLE DAYS: 30   .......   MONTHLY  CUMULATIVE  SCORE:
+53
2004
WHAT  KIND(s) OF  LIFT  .............  HOW  STRONG,  HOW  HIGH,  HOW  LATE
daily
Sep 30
converging breezes on the Mt tops.   4-6 kts to 10K till after 5:00 PM
+1
Sep 29
cool and windy, south & west.  Clouds high above peaks marked converging winds...
+1
Sep 28
calm early with good thermal potential, then big shear & windy PM: ditto
+1
Sep 27
wind-blown therms + soarable turbulence downwind of mts 6 kts to 9, blown out @ 3
+1
Sep 26
strong blue thermals and shearlines.  10+ kts to above 13K till after 5
+3
Sep 25
ditto yesterday, but better.   4-10+kts to above 15K,  till after 5:00 PM
+3
Sep 24
lite northerly & SWEET: ridge lift + blue therms,  4-8+ kts  to above 12K
+2
Sep 23
weak therms & weak slope lift, 6+kts above big peaks to above 10K
+1
Sep 22
lite NE with moderate thermal potential - small dust devils & birds soaring
+1
Sep 21
dust devils in the desert  &  big (north) ridge lift to 9K+    all day
+2
Sep 20
weak blue desert therms & shear in mts:  4-8 kts to 11K till after 5:PM
+2
Sep 19
wave (WSW) all day + strong, cruisable streets, 6-8kts to 9+ till after 6
+2
Sep 18
ditto - shut down by crosswind midday, then good again late, till 5:PM
+1
Sep 17
WAVE early (4 kts to 11K), then thermals (4-8kts to 9K), then shear, ending @ 2:00 PM
+2
Sep 16
modest blue thermals & very light breeze.  4-8kts to 10K, till 5:00 PM
+2
Sep 15
thermals would have been weak - but there were dust devils
+1
Sep 14
probably much like yesterday.  We hiked the mt top, & saw hawks soaring
+1
Sep 13
ditto blue thermals, starting late.  2-6kts to above 9K  till  ????????
+1
Sep 12
fewer thermals, weak by summer standards:  4-6kts to 11K till 5:00PM
+1
Sep 11
therms, then shady  AM.   Super-cus PM:  6-12kts  to 11K  + 1kt wave
+2
Sep 10
gorgeous, big cumulus, lite SW.  4-10 kts to above12K, till after 6:PM
+3
Sept 9
o'cast & very weak from 9:30 to 3, then 4-8 kts to above 10K, till 6:PM
+2
Sept 8
1 of the best: cus high before 10:30, then MONSTER shearlines & big cu. 8+kts to 14, till 6
+3
Sept 7
looked exactly like yesterday, but nobody flew, so we'll say @ least a
+2
Sept 6
big smoooth thermals, mts & desert.  4-10kts to 13K.    Till 6:00 PM
+3
Sept 5
ridge & thermals, mts & desert:  4-8 kts to above 12K.  Till after 6:PM
+2
Sept 4
better ridge lift all day (NE wind), thermals only late PM .  To 9000 ft
+1
Sept 3
ridge lift & slope thermals, plus some zero-sink wave. To 10K, till  6
+1
Sept 2
wind-blown therms:  6+ kts to 11K, & wannabe wave to 12K, till after 5  
+2
Sep  1
 blue thermals in mts.  To 14K, no report how strong or how late
+3

August
SOARABLE DAYS:  31  .......   MONTHLY  CUMULATIVE  SCORE:
+64
2004
WHAT  KIND(s) OF  LIFT  .............  HOW  STRONG,  HOW  HIGH,  HOW  LATE
daily
Aug 31
widely spaced therms & spotty shearlines.  6-10+ kts to 13K till  6:PM
+2
Aug 30
fine, but below average.  Therms 6 kts, but not many, to 12K till 6:PM
+2
Aug 29
like yesterday, but starting earlier, & better:  6-10 kts to 13K  till 6:PM
+2
Aug 28
light winds & blue thermals everywhere.  6-10 kts to 13K, till 6:00 PM
+2
Aug 27
late start (too windy early), mt-top thermals.  4-6 kts to 11K till 5:00PM
+1
Aug 26
slope lift & convergence thermals, in mts only.  2-6 kts to 9K+  all day
+1
Aug 25
south wind in mts & west wind in desert, so probably good shearline
+1
Aug 24
slope lift & windy mountaintop therms.  4-6 kts to 11,500'.   ?+wave?
+2
Aug 23
shearlines EARLY, windblown therms PM.  4-8 kts to above 8K, till 5
+1
Aug 22
weaker than recently.  Blue shearlines, 4-8 kts to 10K till 5 (+ wave?)
+1
Aug 21
HUGE shear, mts blown out early.  10+kts  to 13+K till after 5:PM (+WAVE late)
+2
Aug 20
more ditto, but stronger & with bigger cus.  10+ kts to 13+K, till 6:PM
+3
Aug 19
ditto again, with even fewer cumulus. 10+ kts to 13+K, till after  5:PM
+2
Aug 18
Like yesterday, but with fewer cumulus.   Till 6:PM  -  Probably better than a
+2
Aug 17
HUGE shearlines marked by continuous cu.  10+ kts to 13K,  till 6:PM
+3
Aug 16
gorgeous cumulus.   4-11 Kts, cloudbase 12+K,  with WAVE late  PM
+2
Aug 15
early development but no OD.  Therms 10 Kts, cloudbase 12K,  till 6                    
+2
Aug 14
early development & OD east of here by  2:PM. 10+ Kts to 12 till 6:PM
+2
Aug 13
DITTO again.  Cloudbase only 13K, but BOOOMING 10+ Kts till 6:PM
+3
Aug 12
WOW!  Big fat cumulus & tremendous lift even low. 10+ kts  to 13K, till  after 6
+3
Aug 11
ditto GREAT STUFF. The last  3 daze hottest & best  this year (so far)
+3
Aug 10
more early, STRONG thermals & shearlines 12 kts to 15K+  till after 5
+3
Aug  9
BETTER.   Like yesterday only earlier & stronger  + WAVE  late  PM
+3
Aug  8
GREAT STUFF.  Therms & shears, 12 knots to above 15K  till after  6
+3
Aug  7
finally better again.  Therms & shears  4-12 kts  to 14K till after  6:PM
+3
Aug  6
ditto all the way.  (haven't seen a  cumulus cloud near here in weeks)
+2
Aug  5
below average, but still quite good.  4-10 kts to above 10K, till after 5
+2
Aug  4
about like yesterday,  but warmer.  Both these blue days probly better than
+1
Aug  3
#s indicated strong thermals, but not high.  Guess:  6 Kts + to @ least 10K
+1
Aug  2
below average, but still fine:  well over 10 knots to above 12K, till after 5:PM
+2
Aug  1
WAVE, "irregular but consistent"   2 to 15 knots to above 12K, all day
+2

July
SOARABLE DAYS:  31  .......   MONTHLY  CUMULATIVE  SCORE:
+67
2004
WHAT  KIND(s) OF  LIFT  .............  HOW  STRONG,  HOW  HIGH,  HOW  LATE
daily
July 31
ditto strong therms early, & Mts blown out PM  -  then WAVE.    ?How high?
+2
July 30
dust devils early - huge lift.  ?How high?   Mts blown out by S wind mid-PM.  
+2
July 29
big fat therms & shear.  Usual 10Kts to above 15K, lift good till 6:PM
+2
July 28
fine day, but convective numbers were below par, so let's be conservative :
+1
July 27
monster shearline, maybe not as high as usual, 10 Kts ?how hi & late
+2
July 26
strong thermals early, then wind, blowing out by 4:PM  -  then wave...
+2
July 25
usual thing, but huger than usual: 10+ Kts, to 16,000 till AFTER  6:PM
+3
July 24
WAVE, & then blue thermals & shearlines.  10+ Kts  to 13K   till  6:PM
+2
July 23
ditto again, but apparently not quite as strong or high: 12K+, till 5:PM                  
+2
July 22
blue thermals early, mts & desert 6-12 kts to @ least 13K  -   till  5:PM
+2
July 21
would have been a typically fine day - except for forest fire smoke...
+1
July 20
ditto again,  with increasing smoke from forest fires late in the day...
+2
July 19
not many soaring flights, but it was the usual excellent conditions ...
+2
July 18
ditto yesterday (stronger) plus soarable wave to 14K.  blown out @ 5
+3
July 17
6-10Kt therms & shearline to above 13K, (+weak wave) till 7:PM @least
+2
July 16
ditto yesterday, but starting earlier.  Cus around 14K & wave in spots
+2
July 15
slope lift & thermals, 6-8Kt, starting late, how high?   + lennies  PM
+2
July 14
good temperature gradient for thermals + lenticulars all day, so @ least a...
+2
July 13
therms 6+Kt  to above 13K, & WAVE  (who knows how high?)  All day
+3
July 12
therms & strong shearlines, 6-10 Kts above 15K,  blown out @ 5:PM
+3
July 11
ditto, but better.   Thermals, shearline & wave all day:  to 15K, till 6:PM
+3
July 10
therms & shearline, 12+kts to 14+ K from 10 till after 5:PM, + WAVE late
+3
July  9
thermals leading to rotor, leading to WAVE.   Over 17K  -  all day
+3
July  8
mostly cloudy, no one flew PM, but there were lenticulars & dust devils
+1
July  7
looked like a 'poor' day for here,  but at this time of year, @ least  a ...
+1
July  6
probably a lot like the last several days.  So, conservatively, a...
+2
July  5
ditto  -  mostly in the desert,  maybe not quite as HIGH,  till 6:PM
+3
July  4
bodacious therms & shearlines - 10+ kts to 14+ K, till after 6:PM
+3
July  3
blue therms starting early.  6-10 kts to above 14K,  till after 5:PM
+2
July  2
therms, dust devils & shearlines.  8-10 kts to 13K,  till after 6:PM
+2
July  1
'hybrid' combos of rotor, thermals, convergence & wave to 12K
+2
June
SOARABLE DAYS: 30   .......   MONTHLY  CUMULATIVE  SCORE:
+68
2004
WHAT  KIND(s) OF  LIFT  .............  HOW  STRONG,  HOW  HIGH,  HOW  LATE
daily
June30
big shearline and desert thermals.   6-8 Kts, cloudbase 13K, till 6:PM
+2
June29
poorest of the week.  Shearline & wave PM - good lift but not so much of it
+1
June28
ditto - then strong S wind mid-PM, but plenty of lift within reach to N
+3
June27
oh boy!  lots of 10Kt therms and cloudbase above 15K,  till after 6:PM
+3
June26
ditto, 8-10 Kts to 15K, plus robust clouds on shearline, till after  6:PM
+3
June25
ditto, 8-10Kts to above 13K.  plus awesome shearlines till after 6:PM
+3
June24
ditto (thin band of cirrus passed over midday) 8+Kts to13K till after 5:PM
+3
June23
light & variable with dust devils, blue therms 8-10 kts to 12K till 5:PM
+2