Check and make PIREPS

[HXG]

A little Squirrelly earlier flying today in the Denver front range area.  Nothing too bad or unusual a few hours ago, but you could tell it was going to get a little worse well before any thunderstorm activity. Looked beautiful from the ground. The skew T log P showed an inversion layer 5,000- 7,000 ft with a near 180 degree wind shift above the inversion. Also, a lingering warm front in the area with mostly clear blue sky. For fun, I checked the PIREPS 2  hours after I landed. I’ve seen worse PIREPS, but it’s always interesting to see a Tornado in a PIREP.  

Edited August 22, 2019 by HXG

[carusoam]

Thunderstorms around NYC were causing 100mph winds at ground level... this evening.

The strong cells have been popping up late in the afternoons for a few days in a row...

Best regards,

-a-

[HXG]

Yeah, thunderstorm activity seems pretty active throughout a lot of the country this summer. Lots of worse weather to be found. We get some 70 mph winds and severe turbulence related to the Rockies without thunderstorms in the front range at times throughout the year.  We also have gotten afternoon thunderstorms nearly everyday this summer, but you can clearly see those coming.

My post was kind of meant as a heads up that what looks like a great day to do a local flight  based on ground observations (nearly clear blue sky with calm winds), calm METARS & TAFS 4 hours before any thunderstorms are forecast may actually be a bumpy day with wind shear. The only way you would know is by looking more thoroughly into the weather and checking (and hopefully making) PIREPS. At the very least, you can  find an excuse for a crappy landing or unpleasant passenger experience that way.