Hollister Gliding Club RUC BLIPMAP NorthCentral Viewer
BLIPMAP = Boundary Layer Information Prediction MAP
Created by Dr. John W. (Jack) Glendening,  Meteorologist  
For experienced BLIPMAP users - requires javascript  
Registration (free) and a valid registration cookie are necessary for this viewer to work
"Registered-only" users can view "Thermal Updraft Velocity", "Buoyancy/Shear Ratio", and all "Previous Day" BLIPMAPs.  Subscribers can view all BLIPMAPs.  To register use the New Registration Page or see Registration Information.  Registered users can subscribe at Subscription Page ; for further info, see Subscription Information.  Registered/Subscribed users can Logon (get a new cookie) here or check their registration cookie status here
For additional on-line information:  BLIPMAP HELP page

BLIPMAPs predict thermal soaring conditions resulting from surface heating of the Boundary Layer, by post-processing numerical weather model predictions to provide parameters suited to the needs of soaring pilots.  Users of this viewer are assumed to be familiar with BLIPMAP and its parameters, as described on the NC 18Z BLIPMAP webpage and on the parameter information webpageBASIC thermal forecast parameters gives a short list of the parameters most important for thermal soaring. 



Current Day:        The "current day" changes shortly after 2Z   Forecast Availabily
Current Times: 



DrJack Forum:
 Latest: Sun Jan 4 15:12 "Re: Trigger temperature" [Sergio Colacevich]


DrJack sez:   (Latest 5 news items)
Dec 1:  Updated the monthly BLIPMAP usage statistics
Aug 27:  Geographic maps update:  After a sudden revelation, and two days of work, I am now producing composite blipmaps which are congruent with the non-composite blipmaps!  As a consequence, the SkewT and mini-Blipspot PopUps now work for the composite blipmaps. 
Aug 25:  Geographic maps now availables:  "Geographic maps" are now available on the forecast index webpages, the regional viewers, and the univiewer.  For the viewers, one can "switch" or "swap" back and forth between a forecast and the geographic map to better orient oneself.
Jun 12:  RUC run changes:  The RUC runs started failing today.  I traced the problem to a re-arrangement of the NCEP RUC output file parameters and have made the necessary changes, so RUC BLIPMAPs are again being produced.  However, I also found that RUC topography heights have been slightly altered - the new values are being used in the calculations but the plotted BLIPMAP terrain will continue to be the old terrain until I can make the necessary changes (though I suspect the differences will be so small as to not be noticeable). 
View ALL recent news items here
 

REGISTRATION and SUBSCRIPTION:
Freely available forecasts are:  "Thermal Updraft Velocity" BLIPMAPs, "Buoyancy/Shear Ratio" BLIPMAPs, all "Previous Day" BLIPMAPs, and all BLIPSPOTs.  Other forecasts require a yearly subscription fee of $13 for either NAM or RUC forecasts and $20 for both.  Registration (free) is needed for direct (no-nag-screen) forecast access and to obtain a subscription.  New users can Register here.  Currently registered/subscribed users can Logon (get new cookie) here or view registration (cookie) status here.  More info is available at the Registration Information and Subscription Information webpages. 
EMAIL POLICY: 
There are many advantages to having one person's knowledge be shared and available to others, so I expect most BLIPMAP issues to be handled through the DrJack Forum and ask those who have a question or problem or experience which could be of interest to others to post it there.  This allows others to comment on the matter if they have any personal experience and also allows any response I make to be read by others.  If you send me an email, I will respond personally only if it's nature is not appropriate for such posting - in other cases I will simply reply with a request to post to the forum. 
FEEDBACK REQUEST: 
I only look at the webpages and maps that I use personally or that I suspect might contain an error.  If you notice a consistent problem with either, please post a message on the DrJack Forum.
T-SHIRTS:
Upon request, I've made available to others the T-shirts I created for myself.

Medal Heros: Thanks to John Whitney (F9) for slaying the file-eating dragon inhabiting the original viewer and adding the "ListSAVE/LOAD" feature.  I also want to personally thank those whose support is listed on the Contributors webpage.

Bookmark for this region's main viewer panel
Links to the identified location map for this region and to its key
Link to the latest BLIPSPOT forecasts for individual locations
Link to the 18Z RUC BLIPMAP webpage for this region
Link to the BLIPMAP UniViewer
Links to the BLIPMAP Archive Viewer and RUC Archive Viewer with IGC overlay
Link to the BLIPMAP HELP webpage - for additional on-line information