Read the chart, one layer at a time.

A visual guide for Santa Barbara soaring pilots.

1 / 4 · A dry parcel cools as it climbs.Illustrative readings · fixed scales

Enable JavaScript to view the annotated charts. The dashed DALR reference cools 5.4°F per 1,000 ft; orange squares are surface stations; the black RASS profile shows the air aloft. Up is higher and right is warmer.

Wind and the VOR cloud-base estimate

230°from the southwest

8g14mph8 mph, gusting 14

long feather 10 kt · short 5 kt

Estimated LCL @ VOR: 6,000 ft↑ estimated saturation altitude, MSL

Wind text stays in mph; barbs use knots (a flag = 50 kt). LCL uses VOR temperature and dew point. It estimates where that air would condense, not the top of lift or an observed ceiling.

Times, missing data, and moving through the day

Refreshed 11:30chart built

RASS @ 10:55air sampled

Station @ 11:20station report*

All times local. Station points need temperatures ≤ 60 minutes old when the chart was built; RASS disappears after 6 hours. Saved readings can be reused. Missing means no usable data; n/a means no lower comparison.

← older snapshot · → newer snapshot · Reload for the latest. History covers about 48 hours. Check the axis values when comparing snapshots: the live chart rescales.

*The row shows the wind time when available, otherwise temperature time; they can differ.