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Balloon and Weather Links !!!

See the links below.....

Current Surface Map with Satellite and Radar
(cold fronts-blue, warm fronts-red, alternating blue and red -stationary fronts, dashed yellow lines are surface low pressure troughs)

Thanks for stopping by.
This link page is broken down into three categories to help you plan your flight.

Cheyenne Hot Air Balloon Club

1. Long Range Outlook - looking ahead two to ten days! May give you a hint of what day might
be good to fly!
2. Short Range Outlook - a look at the next 12 to 48 hours!
3. Current Conditions - you are ready to go, but is the weather behaving?

Long Range Links and descriptions:

Golden Gate Weather NCEP Loops - great site to access the GFS and ETA models as well as the ECMWF models. GFS and ETA updated 4 times a day!
ECMWF - this is a 2 to 6 day outlook from a European model. It is good to compare this model to the MRF above to check for consistency. If the two models are not similar in their pattern this is a sign of uncertainty in the long range forecast, if so be wary of the long range forecasts!

Short - Medium Range Links and descriptions 12 to 48 hour

Navy NOGAPS model - This is a good link! Forecasts are good through 144 hours. Here you can
select surface pressure forecasts (keep an eye on those closely spaced isobars), upper level forecasts at
different altitudes, etc.
MM5 - This is what as known as a "meso-scale" computer forecast model. This model tries to take
advantage of local terrain affects and is very accurate in the 6 to 24 hour time frames. Take advantage
of the 6 hour forecast intervals, especially the sounding forecasts which give you a vertical wind profile
forecast (in some limited areas). This is a very useful forecast model for 6 to 48 hour planning!
Use HYSPLIT to forecast your flight trajectory! (This site now requires password and username, see page for more information.)This is a great tool if you are planning a record attempt, long jump or longer than normal flight. This can be a confusing site, it is good to read the HELP links and make sure you select a trajectory forecast, NOT A dispersion forecast. Best idea is to play with site until you get used to it. Here you can see where the winds will take you at a variety of altitudes that you select as well as where you may end up.
Texas A&M. Go here to get a text forecast from the ETA and AVN models. This forecast will break down the atmosphere in 6 hour increments from the surface to the troposphere. The levels are broken down into standard aviation levels (1000mb, 850mb, 700mb, etc.) Both sights require the 3 letter station identifier (ie, cys, den, fcl).
Rapid Update Cycle Wind Profile forecast (RUC). This is a nifty link. Enter the three letter airport identifier and select the date and expected time of your flight and this model will give you a vertical wind forecast (scroll below the Skew-T chart) in very small (50 to 100 foot) intervals. This is an experimental forecast model, so use it wisely, while this model does well with wind direction forecasts, its wind speed forecasts are not always on target.

It is getting close to FLY time! Here are great links to see current conditions at all levels!
WIND PROFILERS - check the current winds, surface and aloft from these wind profilers!
If you live in the Rockies or High Plains, use LAPS. This is a great tool near launch time. Select
surface and 500 mb wind links before launch time. This product shows you the wind fields all over this region.
Current conditions - Select your state, then city, then check current as well as the past several hours of weather at this site. Take a look at the past weather and look for TRENDS!

Recommended Weather Links

BalloonCast from BlastValve

National Weather Service Cheyenne - Interactive NDFD forecasts

National Weather Service Riverton - Interactive NDFD forecasts

National Weather Service Boulder - Interactive NDFD forecasts

HOMEPAGE FORECASTS WEBCAM

DayWeather, Inc.
P.O. Box 2269
Cheyenne, WY 82003
1 800 584 9331

Email don@dayweather.com