April Showers

It has turned into quite a nice Sunday afternoon here in Virginia, but the forecast for tomorrow morning's flight up to Connecticut is not very pleasant. It looks like N631S and I can expect to get wet.

As you can see from the graphic at left (as usual, click to enlarge), the forecast for 12Z on Monday has Bridgeport involved in the precipitation event. The good news is that the area associated with thunder-showers is mostly offshore in the Atlantic.

For departure, the KDCA Terminal Area forecast (TAF) is calling for 5 miles visibility in mist with an overcast at 900 feet and a light southerly breeze. Not bad departure weather.

The TAF for KBDR offers this:

KBDR 251720Z 2518/2618 08010KT 4SM -RA BR BKN008 OVC012
FM252000 08010KT 2SM -DZ BR OVC008
FM260400 07008KT 4SM -DZ BR OVC006
FM260800 06005KT 2SM RA BR OVC007
FM261500 06007KT 2SM -DZ BR OVC008

For the time I should be arriving, a light breeze out of the northeast, 2 miles visibility in rain and mist, and an overcast at about 700 feet. That looks made to order for the ILS approach to Runway 6 which has minima of 300 feet and a mile.

A quick look at the 800 millibar (about 6,000 foot) temperature forecast (courtesy of NOAA's Aviation Weather Center site) gives no cause for concern. The 0 degree C isotherm will be well to the north.

As of now, FlightPln.com is predicting 1 hour + 46 minutes for the trip with an average tailwind component of 23 knots. So the trip won't be pretty but it will be quick with manageable weather at the destination. And of course, it will be interesting - weather will make it that way.