For us Midwest flyers, just wondering how the SW “monsoon season” (NM, AZ) affects flying. Is it mostly a late day event, or does it wash out a whole day? Are the ceilings high enough to fly VFR around the showers? Is there much widespread IFR?
SW Monsoon season flying
- Thread starter Tarrow
- Start date
Zeldman
Touchdown! Greaser!
For me that flew for a living, I usually just flew around thunderstorms. Usually, but not always, they are single cell boomers and usually easily circumnavigateable. (is that a real word.??) Even some of the lighter thunderstorms and rain showers the ceiling can be at 10,000msl. For VFR flights my rule was stay out of the rain shafts which were easily seen during the day.
This time of year the bumps start getting real serious by noon, most times earlier and can last a couple hours after sunset.
As of the time of this posting, Gallup, NM is winds 220@20g33, DA is 9600. And clear blue skies, vis at cruise altitude is probably 95 miles. Winds usually start picking up around 9 - 10am and can get pretty strong after noon.
Sometimes a thunderstorm will get really huge and start feeding off its own energy and can last to midnight and later. Those are really nasty SOBs and I stay away from them. Thunderstorms at night know they are king of the sky and the beast is looking to eat some airplanes. The planes I flew had those wonderful Bendix radar units. I got real good at using those.
Forgot to add....wide spread IFR is a winter affair, unless the smoke moves in.
This time of year the bumps start getting real serious by noon, most times earlier and can last a couple hours after sunset.
As of the time of this posting, Gallup, NM is winds 220@20g33, DA is 9600. And clear blue skies, vis at cruise altitude is probably 95 miles. Winds usually start picking up around 9 - 10am and can get pretty strong after noon.
Sometimes a thunderstorm will get really huge and start feeding off its own energy and can last to midnight and later. Those are really nasty SOBs and I stay away from them. Thunderstorms at night know they are king of the sky and the beast is looking to eat some airplanes. The planes I flew had those wonderful Bendix radar units. I got real good at using those.
Forgot to add....wide spread IFR is a winter affair, unless the smoke moves in.