Whoa Daddy!

[BSMITH]

Isobars don't get much tighter than this.

http://itg1.meteor.wisc.edu/wxp_images/ ... es_h72.gif

[Mike W]

Every time I start to wonder if I really need a Xbow7 a day like this comes along and puts a big grin on my face.

[JERRY]

And...............for some of us, it's too much A couple of seasons ago, I witness Jeff G. sail by me doing a downwinder on a freeskate in a high speed. He was just standing on it with out the mast & sail

j

[Tom L]

That's when I break out my kids SB 7m.

[Stroh]

they are saying gust to 45 knots that is about 52mph... don't assume that you can handle it just because you have a 5 or 7 meter bow. if something goes wrong you can get into alot of trouble FAST. kites seem to do strange things when the wind gets over 40mph.

if you go out
MAKE SURE YOU PUMP YOUR KITE SOLID. a few pumps short could cause your kite to deform in the high gusts.


forecast duscission...
ALL OF THIS POINTS TOWARD A VERY WINDY DAY ON SATURDAY AND INTO
SATURDAY NIGHT FOR THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. AT THIS POINT...HAVE
GONE WITH MAXIMUM WIND SPEEDS IN THE 30 KT RANGE...WITH 40 TO 45
KT GUSTS...ESPECIALLY IN THE FAVORED AREAS ALONG THE MINNESOTA
RIVER VALLEY...AND THE I-90 CORRIDOR.

Jon

[Tom L]

I think maybe just a Homer Hanky would be appropriate in gusts that high.

I'm working at the Special Olympics poly hockey tournement on Saturday anyway. I'll just have to read about it here on Sunday

[johnz]

I agree with Stroh - be careful out there!!

Possible dawn patrol before it gets too out of hand?

[JRN]

Look @ Clear LK! Warmer, milder winds, deep snow. Just wonder if it'll go white out blizzard? I do agree, go earlier before it really cranks. We don't want "Ride 4 Terry" to end up...well, you know JN

[Pete]

Might be time to drop some Q-power line on the B3!

[white wings]

Any thoughts on Theodore Wirth Lake? It's in a small valley just off of Glenwood in Minneapolis just outside of Golden Valley. Still snow on the lake with an easy access beach with plenty of parking. Not good for lighter winds but with a day like tomorrow it might be good to have the shelter of the trees...ok I'll say it, I am scared of Calhoun tomorrow!

[Bryce]

I have tried out the "shelter of the trees" before. I thought it might have reduced the wind. It may reduce it some... you end up with lots of very very gusty crap. Not very fun.

[Barry P]

Big open spaces (big lakes, kiting far from shore) will be the safest conditions. Wind creates eddies as it flows around 'shelter'. This turbulence can extend a long way downwind (1/2 mile?). Dealing with straight-line wind is easier than with swirly stuff.

[Tighe]

I agree with Bryce. The reason there is snow on the lake is the wind hasn't been blowing on it. Small lakes are very very unsafe due to minimal buffer zone down wind and extremely gusty winds.

That lake might be ok on a direct north wind since it is pretty open to the North. Even then though you'ld want to walk at least a few thousand feet upwind from the beach to give you a buffer zone downwind.

There is no obstacle that I know of that will reduce the wind without destroying the quality of the wind. There are some thermal bubbles that form over lakes in the spring that raise the wind off the lake, but the size of the lake still plays a role.

Be careful

[Dave Z]

Tomorrow may be one of those situations where you tell yourself it's not worth the risk if you have not been in heavy winds before with the RIGHT size kite. Heed Stroh's warning.

I remember a few years back I put my little B2 up with winds gusting around 50 with a full on ground blizzard. That little kite dragged me a good 30-40 yards down wind before I got a handle on it...I felt like a human snow-plow....and was very lucky there wasn't a fish house in my path. So - use your brain not yer cojones

[Tom L]

Mpls meteo. You don't see this too often. Could be a little nippy.

[Stroh]

for duluth (island lake) they say 50mph on sat & -58 wind chill on sunday...

Jon