Late Spring Transition

No matter how carefully you plan, problems seem to appear. But they can be mitigated exercising care in planning, situational awareness, and knowledge. Here, we focus on knowledge to help you gain that essential element of situational awareness to build on the rules of thumb youre originally taught.

Tim Vasquez

Monday, April 16, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Late spring and early summer (May-July) sees a northward retreat and weakening of the jet stream, leading to fewer organized non-convective systems but an increase in localized convective weather across the United States.
Key regional hazards include persistent overnight fog and stratus on the West Coast (requiring inland diversions), and dangerously high density altitudes and afternoon monsoon thunderstorms in the Western Interior.
Across the Great Plains and Southeast, expect a surge in instability leading to common afternoon thunderstorms, with nocturnal Mesoscale Convective Complexes (MCCs) posing a significant hazard in the Midwest.
Pilots and travelers are advised to fly in the mornings where possible, monitor specific indicators like dewpoint and CAPE, and understand regional weather patterns for safe travel during this period.

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Let’s look at the transition between spring and summer: May through July. It’s a popular travel period. With crowded ramps, tight itineraries, extra passengers, and the haphazard convective weather, it pays to have a firm grasp on the weather patterns this time of year.