thermal flying in sub temps

[eight_balljake]

hi all,
i am new to flying sail planes and just bought a spirte sailplane.i live in eastern oregon and temps are dropping fast.My question is this..................do thermals live in cold temps a.e if its 20degs is there 40 degree(or whatever) air pockets still creating thermals?
any help or advice would be great!!just finishing this plane and want to fly.................THANKS

[fledge]

thermals are present when ever there is a differance in tempeture
its a myth that hot days are better thermal days

on the shores of lake huron we fly waterspouts [thermals] which are produced by the warm water in the fall.

although there not as likely because the sun rays are not as direct

fledge

[ICTHRMLS]

The hardest part of those 20 degree thermals is keeping your fingers from sticking to the x-mitter stick!!!:D

[MTT]

fledge is right, it's not the absolute temperature that matters, but the temperature differential !
On a calm sunny, day, you will have thermals, even if the ambient temp is in the 30's or 40's.

At least I had them a few days ago...

and yes, the fingers do get stiff, even if it's in the 40's !

Michael

[BMatthews]

I found thermals on a cool rainy day one time. Don't ask...... it was a contest and we do really stupidly desparate things when there's a $2 piece of wood and plastic up for grabs.

[Rburson]

For all of you that just can"t get enough winter flying, walking through Menard's a DIY store in the midwest, I found in the glove section a mitten glove, the interesting part is the mitten section pulls back revealing, cut off glove fingers, this is also on the thumb, plus they are made of thinsulate material, cost ten dollars. The fingers and feet go first ( in cold weather flying ).

[eight_balljake]

Thanks all,I don't think flying will be much colder than lieing in the snoww waiting for thr geese to come in!!:D :D :D

[Daemon]

Originally posted by eight_balljake
Thanks all,I don't think flying will be much colder than lieing in the snoww waiting for thr geese to come in!!:D :D :D

The difference being the wind, and the fact that your hands are out all the time. I flew this afternoon in sub freezing temps. Was catching some nice little thermals off a patch of ground that the sun had melted the snow off of. Tried to catch something as the shadow line moved through when the sun went behind the mountains but this time of year it sets lightning fast and there was nothing. Still spent over an hour out there keeping myself warm discus launching. Just switched from sunglasses to yellow shooting glasses for added contrast when the sun went away and kept flying.

ian