Interesting Clouds and Winds

[ScottM]

This is the view out of one my office windows right now.

The view is towards the NE.

the clouds are doing this interesting 'rotor' like thing and stretch to the north and south for as far as I can see.

I'll bet it is an interesting ride!!

Nearest airport METAR
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]KPWK [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]261552Z 05005KT 10SM OVC016 14/09 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP122 T01390089 [/FONT]

 

[tonycondon]

looks like wave, probably is wave. matt m and I have obsevered these sort of formations many times in Iowa.

 

[ScottM]

looks like wave, probably is wave. matt m and I have obsevered these sort of formations many times in Iowa.

yep, I think so too. I have seen this before and often wonder how these form in the flat lands.

 

[tonycondon]

it really doesnt take a huge elevation change to start a standing wave, just a bump somewhere. We've seen pretty impressive wave bars that appear to be started by the missouri or mississippi river valleys. Northwest Airline pilots have reported wave activity over the black hills in SD.

Heres an sat picture of one of those days over Iowa. I think this was in february about 2 or 3 years ago.

and this was the corresponding view from Matt M's backyard:

 

[vontresc]

Now for the obvious question... Scott, would this be soarable????

 

[MauleSkinner]

shear wave?

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

This is the view out of one my office windows right now.

Window? You got a WINDOW????

I'm jealous.

 

[kevin47881]

Window? You got a WINDOW????

I'm jealous.

My window is the windshield.

 

[ScottM]

Window? You got a WINDOW????

I'm jealous.

Two windows actually. I have a corner office with a eat and south exposure. IOW the sun is always shinning into my office. I spend most of the time with the shades drawn.

 

[ScottM]

Now for the obvious question... Scott, would this be soarable????

I think so. But I of course bow to your soaring greatness. I would think, neglecting cloud clearance issues and the fact that I am about 8 miles away for ORD and that is along the final approach course for runway 14R, that you could ride the lift up and the out of the wave.

 

[tonycondon]

pete beat me to it. i was wondering what sort of updraft strength scott thought there would be in those bars.

 

[ScottM]

pete beat me to it. i was wondering what sort of updraft strength scott thought there would be in those bars.

I have gotten rides in mountain wave in my plane when I was flying back from North Carolina and the clouds looked a lot like that. That is why I would suspect updraft. ScottD stated that perhaps there might not be. I would like to know the answer and reasoning behind it.

Weather discussion are always good and rarely get into FAA legal interpretations.