Soaring Guidance
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO

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930
UXUS97 KBOU 160031
SRGBOU

Soaring Forecast
National Weather Service Denver/Boulder, Colorado
1831 MDT Wednesday, October 15, 2025

This forecast is for Thursday, October 16, 2025:

If the trigger temperature of 68.1 F/20.1 C is reached...then
   Thermal Soaring Index....................... Good
   Maximum rate of lift........................ 441 ft/min (2.2 m/s)
   Maximum height of thermals.................. 10776 ft MSL (5484 ft AGL)

Forecast maximum temperature................... 69.0 F/21.0 C
Time of trigger temperature.................... 1545 MDT
Time of overdevelopment........................ None
Middle/high clouds during soaring window....... None
Surface winds during soaring window............ 20 mph or less
Height of the -3 thermal index................. 5995 ft MSL (702 ft AGL)
Thermal soaring outlook for Friday 10/17....... Fair

Wave Soaring Index............................. Poor
Wave Soaring Index trend (to 1800 MDT)......... Slight increase
Height of stable layer (12-18K ft MSL)......... None
Weak PVA/NVA (through 1800 MDT)................ Neither
Potential height of wave....................... 15614 ft MSL (10322 ft AGL)
Wave soaring outlook for Friday 10/17.......... Poor

Remarks... Breezy westerly winds Thursday afternoon

Sunrise/Sunset.................... 07:11:25 / 18:18:23 MDT
Total possible sunshine........... 11 hr 6 min 58 sec (666 min 58 sec)
Altitude of sun at 12:44:54 MDT... 40.92 degrees

Upper air data from numerical model forecast valid on 10/16/2025 at 0600 MDT

Freezing level.................. 12592 ft MSL (7300 ft AGL)
Convective condensation level... 13863 ft MSL (8571 ft AGL)
Lifted condensation level....... 12918 ft MSL (7626 ft AGL)
Lifted index.................... +3.3
K index......................... +6.0

Height  Temperature  Wind  Wind Spd  Lapse Rate  ConvectionT  Thermal  Lift Rate
ft MSL  deg C deg F   Dir   kt  m/s  C/km F/kft  deg C deg F   Index    fpm  m/s
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 50000  -63.2 -81.8   220   44   22   0.9   0.5      M     M       M      M    M
 45000  -61.1 -78.0   220   79   41   4.4   2.4      M     M       M      M    M
 40000  -54.2 -65.6   210   86   44   5.1   2.8      M     M       M      M    M
 38000  -50.1 -58.2   210   87   45   7.0   3.8      M     M       M      M    M
 36000  -45.9 -50.6   205   87   45   7.0   3.8      M     M       M      M    M
 34000  -41.8 -43.2   205   88   45   6.8   3.8      M     M       M      M    M
 32000  -37.7 -35.9   200   90   46   6.8   3.8      M     M       M      M    M
 30000  -33.5 -28.3   200   90   47   6.9   3.8   43.7 110.7    17.5      M    M
 29000  -30.9 -23.6   200   90   46   6.9   3.8   42.3 108.2    16.7      M    M
 28000  -28.9 -20.0   200   90   46   6.9   3.8   41.3 106.4    16.1      M    M
 27000  -26.8 -16.2   200   89   46   6.6   3.6   40.2 104.4    15.4      M    M
 26000  -24.9 -12.8   200   88   46   6.6   3.6   38.9 102.1    14.6      M    M
 25000  -22.9  -9.2   200   88   45   6.6   3.6   37.8 100.1    13.9      M    M
 24000  -21.0  -5.8   205   87   45   5.0   2.8   36.6  97.9    13.0      M    M
 23000  -19.5  -3.1   205   84   43   5.2   2.9   34.8  94.7    11.7      M    M
 22000  -17.9  -0.2   205   82   42   5.2   2.9   33.2  91.8    10.5      M    M
 21000  -16.3   2.7   205   79   40   5.9   3.2   31.7  89.1     9.3      M    M
 20000  -14.6   5.7   205   74   38   5.9   3.2   30.3  86.5     8.2      M    M
 19500  -13.7   7.3   205   71   37   5.9   3.2   29.6  85.3     7.7      M    M
 19000  -12.8   9.0   210   69   35   5.8   3.2   29.0  84.2     7.2      M    M
 18500  -11.9  10.6   210   66   34   7.3   4.0   28.4  83.2     6.7      M    M
 18000  -10.8  12.6   210   63   32   7.4   4.1   28.0  82.5     6.4      M    M
 17500   -9.7  14.5   210   60   31   7.2   4.0   27.7  81.8     6.1      M    M
 17000   -8.6  16.5   210   57   29   6.6   3.6   27.1  80.9     5.7      M    M
 16500   -7.6  18.3   210   54   28   6.7   3.7   26.6  79.9     5.3      M    M
 16000   -6.7  19.9   210   53   27   6.4   3.5   26.1  79.0     4.8      M    M
 15500   -5.7  21.7   215   54   28   6.4   3.5   25.5  78.0     4.3      M    M
 15000   -4.8  23.4   215   55   28   6.1   3.3   25.0  77.0     3.8      M    M
 14500   -3.5  25.7   220   54   28   5.8   3.2   24.0  75.2     2.9      M    M
 14000   -2.6  27.3   220   52   27   6.6   3.6   23.4  74.2     2.3      M    M
 13500   -1.7  28.9   220   48   25   6.8   3.7   22.9  73.3     1.8      M    M
 13000   -0.7  30.7   220   44   23   7.6   4.2   22.5  72.5     1.3      M    M
 12500    0.4  32.7   220   43   22   8.9   4.4   22.2  71.9     1.0      M    M
 12000    1.5  34.7   220   41   21   8.2   4.5   21.9  71.4     0.7      M    M
 11500    2.7  36.9   220   39   20   8.3   4.5   21.7  71.0     0.4      M    M
 11000    3.9  39.0   220   36   19   7.5   4.1   21.4  70.6     0.2      M    M
 10500    4.9  40.8   220   34   18   6.0   3.3   21.0  69.8    -0.3    412  2.1
 10250    5.4  41.7   220   33   17  10.4   5.7   20.8  69.4    -0.5    389  2.0
 10000    6.3  43.3   215   30   15  11.9   6.5   21.0  69.8    -0.3    354  1.8
  9750    7.0  44.6   215   29   15   8.3   4.6   21.0  69.7    -0.4    326  1.7
  9500    7.7  45.9   215   29   15  10.0   5.5   20.9  69.7    -0.4    299  1.5
  9250    8.4  47.1   215   28   14   6.9   3.8   20.9  69.6    -0.5    271  1.4
  9000    8.8  47.8   215   28   14   7.0   3.9   20.6  69.0    -0.8    251  1.3
  8750    9.5  49.1   215   27   14  10.0   5.5   20.5  69.0    -0.9    223  1.1
  8500   10.1  50.2   215   27   14   9.4   5.2   20.5  68.9    -0.9    195  1.0
  8250   10.8  51.4   215   26   13   8.6   4.7   20.5  68.9    -0.9    167  0.9
  8000   11.4  52.5   215   25   13   7.5   4.1   20.3  68.6    -1.1    143  0.7
  7750   12.0  53.6   215   25   13   8.3   4.6   20.2  68.3    -1.3    119  0.6
  7500   12.6  54.7   215   25   13   9.2   5.0   20.1  68.2    -1.4     92  0.5
  7250   13.2  55.8   215   25   13   7.6   4.2   20.0  68.1    -1.5     66  0.3
  7000   13.7  56.7   215   24   12   6.0   3.3   19.8  67.6    -1.7     45  0.2
  6750   14.2  57.6   210   24   12   7.5   4.1   19.6  67.2    -2.0     23  0.1
  6500   14.8  58.6   210   22   12   8.2   4.5   19.4  67.0    -2.1      M    M
  6250   15.2  59.4   210   21   11   4.8   2.6   19.2  66.6    -2.4      M    M
  6000   15.4  59.7   210   19   10   2.9   1.6   18.7  65.7    -2.9      M    M
  5750   15.6  60.1   205   18    9   1.8   1.0   18.2  64.8    -3.5      M    M
  5500   15.4  59.7   205   14    7  -6.6  -3.6   17.4  63.2    -4.4      M    M

 * * * * * * Numerical weather prediction model forecast data valid * * * * * *

           10/16/2025 at 0900 MDT          |       10/16/2025 at 1200 MDT
                                           |
CAPE...   +19.1    LI...       +2.1        | CAPE...   +33.0    LI...       +2.3
CINH...   -22.1    K Index...  -9.0        | CINH...    -0.9    K Index...  -2.2
                                           |
Height Temperature  Wnd WndSpd  Lapse Rate | Temperature  Wnd WndSpd  Lapse Rate
ft MSL deg C deg F  Dir kt m/s  C/km F/kft | deg C deg F  Dir kt m/s  C/km F/kft
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 50000 -62.4 -80.3  225  42 21   0.7   0.4 | -61.8 -79.2  230  36 19   0.8   0.4
 45000 -60.8 -77.4  225  77 40   4.0   2.2 | -60.0 -76.0  230  70 36   3.9   2.1
 40000 -54.4 -65.9  215  88 45   4.2   2.3 | -53.8 -64.8  215  82 42   3.8   2.1
 38000 -50.4 -58.7  210  88 45   7.0   3.9 | -49.9 -57.8  215  84 43   6.8   3.7
 36000 -46.2 -51.2  205  87 45   7.0   3.9 | -45.8 -50.4  210  85 44   6.8   3.7
 34000 -41.9 -43.4  205  87 45   7.2   4.0 | -41.7 -43.1  210  87 45   7.2   3.9
 32000 -37.6 -35.7  200  88 45   7.2   4.0 | -37.4 -35.3  205  88 45   7.2   3.9
 30000 -32.7 -26.9  200  89 46   7.3   4.0 | -32.6 -26.7  205  89 46   6.9   3.8
 29000 -30.5 -22.9  200  90 46   7.3   4.0 | -30.6 -23.1  205  90 46   6.9   3.8
 28000 -28.3 -18.9  200  91 47   7.2   4.0 | -28.5 -19.3  205  90 46   6.9   3.8
 27000 -26.3 -15.3  200  92 47   5.6   3.1 | -26.5 -15.7  205  90 46   6.9   3.8
 26000 -24.6 -12.3  205  93 48   5.7   3.1 | -24.4 -11.9  205  90 46   6.9   3.8
 25000 -22.9  -9.2  205  93 48   5.7   3.1 | -22.3  -8.1  205  89 46   6.9   3.8
 24000 -21.3  -6.3  205  94 48   4.5   2.5 | -20.4  -4.7  210  89 46   3.9   2.1
 23000 -20.0  -4.0  205  90 47   4.3   2.4 | -19.6  -3.3  210  85 44   2.7   1.5
 22000 -18.7  -1.7  205  87 45   4.3   2.4 | -18.8  -1.8  210  82 42   2.7   1.5
 21000 -17.4   0.7  205  83 43   5.2   2.9 | -17.9  -0.2  210  78 40   3.4   1.9
 20000 -15.8   3.6  210  77 40   5.2   2.8 | -16.9   1.6  210  70 36   3.5   1.9
 19500 -15.1   4.8  210  74 38   5.2   2.8 | -16.4   2.5  215  66 34   3.5   1.9
 19000 -14.3   6.3  210  70 36   5.2   2.8 | -15.9   3.4  215  62 32   3.5   1.9
 18500 -13.5   7.7  210  67 35   6.1   3.4 | -15.3   4.5  215  58 30   4.7   2.6
 18000 -12.5   9.5  210  64 33   6.6   3.6 | -14.5   5.9  220  54 28   5.6   3.1
 17500 -11.5  11.3  210  61 31   6.6   3.6 | -13.7   7.3  220  50 26   5.6   3.1
 17000 -10.5  13.1  215  58 30   6.9   3.8 | -12.7   9.1  220  47 24   7.1   3.9
 16500  -9.5  14.9  215  55 28   6.9   3.8 | -11.7  10.9  225  44 23   7.0   3.8
 16000  -8.4  16.9  215  52 27   7.1   3.9 | -10.7  12.7  225  41 21   7.2   3.9
 15500  -6.8  19.8  220  49 25   7.2   3.9 |  -9.1  15.6  225  38 20   7.2   4.0
 15000  -5.8  21.6  220  46 24   6.4   3.5 |  -8.0  17.6  230  36 19   7.2   3.9
 14500  -4.9  23.2  220  43 22   6.5   3.6 |  -6.9  19.6  230  34 17   7.2   3.9
 14000  -4.0  24.8  225  40 21   5.9   3.2 |  -5.8  21.6  230  31 16   8.1   4.5
 13500  -3.1  26.4  225  37 19   5.8   3.2 |  -4.6  23.7  230  28 15   8.4   4.6
 13000  -2.3  27.9  230  34 18   6.6   3.6 |  -3.3  26.1  230  26 13   8.2   4.5
 12500  -1.3  29.7  230  31 16   7.2   4.0 |  -2.2  28.0  230  25 13   8.1   4.5
 12000  -0.2  31.6  235  28 15   7.7   4.2 |  -1.0  30.2  230  23 12   8.1   4.4
 11500   1.0  33.8  235  27 14   8.2   4.5 |   0.2  32.4  230  21 11   8.0   4.4
 11000   2.1  35.8  235  25 13   7.7   4.2 |   1.3  34.3  235  20 10   7.6   4.2
 10500   3.2  37.8  240  24 12   6.2   3.4 |   2.4  36.3  235  18  9   6.2   3.4
 10250   3.7  38.7  240  24 12  10.8   5.9 |   2.9  37.2  235  17  9  11.1   6.1
 10000   4.7  40.5  240  23 12  12.0   6.6 |   3.9  39.0  235  17  9  12.2   6.7
  9750   5.3  41.5  240  22 11   8.0   4.4 |   4.5  40.1  235  16  8   7.8   4.3
  9500   6.0  42.8  235  21 11   9.6   5.3 |   5.2  41.4  235  16  8   9.5   5.2
  9250   6.6  43.9  235  21 11   7.4   4.0 |   5.8  42.4  235  15  8   7.1   3.9
  9000   7.1  44.8  235  20 10   7.6   4.1 |   6.3  43.3  235  14  7   8.1   4.5
  8750   7.8  46.0  235  20 10   9.5   5.2 |   7.0  44.6  235  14  7  10.8   6.0
  8500   8.4  47.1  235  19 10   9.2   5.1 |   7.8  46.0  240  13  7  10.4   5.7
  8250   9.1  48.4  230  19 10   8.7   4.8 |   8.5  47.3  240  13  7   9.5   5.2
  8000   9.7  49.5  230  19 10   7.2   4.0 |   9.2  48.6  240  12  6   8.5   4.7
  7750  10.2  50.4  230  18  9   7.5   4.1 |   9.9  49.8  240  12  6  10.0   5.5
  7500  10.7  51.3  230  18  9   8.4   4.6 |  10.7  51.3  240  12  6  11.3   6.2
  7250  11.3  52.3  225  18  9   7.0   3.8 |  11.5  52.7  245  12  6   9.2   5.1
  7000  11.7  53.1  225  17  9   5.4   3.0 |  12.1  53.8  240  11  6   7.3   4.0
  6750  12.2  54.0  225  17  9   7.7   4.2 |  12.7  54.9  240  11  6  10.9   6.0
  6500  12.8  55.0  225  16  8   9.1   5.0 |  13.6  56.5  245  11  5  12.8   7.0
  6250  13.4  56.1  220  16  8   6.6   3.6 |  14.5  58.1  245  10  5  10.3   5.7
  6000  13.7  56.7  220  15  8   5.1   2.8 |  15.2  59.4  245  10  5   9.3   5.1
  5750  14.1  57.4  215  14  7   6.0   3.3 |  15.9  60.6  245  10  5  10.1   5.6
  5500  14.5  58.1  220  10  5   8.0   4.4 |  16.9  62.4  250   9  4  16.7   9.1

           10/16/2025 at 1500 MDT          |       10/16/2025 at 1800 MDT
                                           |
CAPE...    +8.4    LI...       +0.6        | CAPE...     0.0    LI...       +1.8
CINH...    -2.3    K Index...  +4.4        | CINH...     0.0    K Index...  +0.7
                                           |
Height Temperature  Wnd WndSpd  Lapse Rate | Temperature  Wnd WndSpd  Lapse Rate
ft MSL deg C deg F  Dir kt m/s  C/km F/kft | deg C deg F  Dir kt m/s  C/km F/kft
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 50000 -61.6 -78.9  230  38 19   2.7   1.5 | -60.9 -77.6  225  36 19   2.0   1.1
 45000 -57.6 -71.7  225  63 33   2.7   1.5 | -57.7 -71.9  230  63 32   3.5   1.9
 40000 -53.4 -64.1  220  77 40   2.3   1.3 | -52.1 -61.8  230  73 37   3.4   1.9
 38000 -49.8 -57.6  215  80 41   6.4   3.5 | -49.4 -56.9  225  76 39   4.6   2.5
 36000 -46.0 -50.8  215  83 43   6.4   3.5 | -46.7 -52.1  220  78 40   4.6   2.5
 34000 -41.9 -43.4  215  85 44   7.2   4.0 | -43.1 -45.6  220  81 41   8.0   4.4
 32000 -37.6 -35.7  215  86 44   7.2   4.0 | -38.3 -36.9  220  82 42   8.0   4.4
 30000 -33.5 -28.3  215  86 44   6.2   3.4 | -34.0 -29.2  220  81 42   5.4   3.0
 29000 -31.6 -24.9  215  85 44   6.2   3.4 | -32.4 -26.3  225  79 40   5.4   3.0
 28000 -29.3 -20.7  215  84 43   6.3   3.4 | -30.8 -23.4  225  76 39   5.4   3.0
 27000 -27.3 -17.1  215  83 43   7.5   4.1 | -28.6 -19.5  225  74 38   7.6   4.2
 26000 -25.0 -13.0  215  82 42   7.4   4.1 | -26.3 -15.3  225  72 37   7.4   4.1
 25000 -22.8  -9.0  215  81 42   7.4   4.1 | -24.1 -11.4  220  71 36   7.4   4.1
 24000 -20.8  -5.4  215  80 41   3.2   1.8 | -22.0  -7.6  220  69 35   4.3   2.4
 23000 -20.2  -4.4  215  74 38   1.9   1.1 | -21.0  -5.8  225  63 33   3.4   1.9
 22000 -19.6  -3.3  215  69 36   1.9   1.0 | -20.0  -4.0  225  58 30   3.4   1.9
 21000 -19.0  -2.2  220  63 33   2.9   1.6 | -19.0  -2.2  230  53 27   3.0   1.7
 20000 -18.1  -0.6  220  53 27   3.0   1.6 | -18.1  -0.6  230  45 23   3.1   1.7
 19500 -17.7   0.1  225  48 25   3.0   1.6 | -17.6   0.3  230  40 21   3.1   1.7
 19000 -17.3   0.9  225  43 22   3.0   1.7 | -17.1   1.2  230  36 19   3.1   1.7
 18500 -16.8   1.8  230  38 20   6.2   3.4 | -16.6   2.1  230  32 17   5.2   2.9
 18000 -15.6   3.9  230  36 18   7.6   4.2 | -15.7   3.7  230  29 15   6.1   3.4
 17500 -14.4   6.1  230  34 17   7.7   4.2 | -14.8   5.4  225  26 13   6.4   3.5
 17000 -13.3   8.1  235  32 16   7.6   4.2 | -13.8   7.2  225  24 12   7.6   4.2
 16500 -12.2  10.0  235  30 15   7.6   4.2 | -12.6   9.3  220  22 11   7.5   4.1
 16000 -11.1  12.0  235  28 14   7.5   4.1 | -11.5  11.3  220  21 11   8.3   4.5
 15500 -10.0  14.0  240  26 14   7.5   4.1 | -10.3  13.5  220  20 10   8.3   4.6
 15000  -8.9  16.0  240  25 13   7.9   4.3 |  -9.0  15.8  225  19 10   8.5   4.6
 14500  -7.6  18.3  240  23 12   8.2   4.5 |  -7.8  18.0  225  19 10   8.6   4.7
 14000  -6.4  20.5  240  22 11   8.3   4.6 |  -6.5  20.3  230  18  9   8.7   4.8
 13500  -5.2  22.6  240  20 10   8.7   4.7 |  -5.2  22.6  225  18  9   9.0   5.0
 13000  -3.9  25.0  240  19 10   8.7   4.8 |  -3.1  26.4  225  17  9   9.3   5.1
 12500  -1.9  28.6  235  17  9   9.0   4.9 |  -1.8  28.8  225  16  8   9.4   5.1
 12000  -0.6  30.9  235  16  8   9.2   5.1 |  -0.4  31.3  225  15  8   9.1   5.0
 11500   0.8  33.4  235  16  8   9.3   5.1 |   1.0  33.8  230  15  8   9.0   5.0
 11000   2.1  35.8  235  15  8   7.9   4.3 |   2.3  36.1  230  15  8   7.6   4.2
 10500   3.2  37.8  235  14  7   5.8   3.2 |   3.4  38.1  230  14  7   5.6   3.1
 10250   3.7  38.7  235  14  7  12.3   6.8 |   3.9  39.0  235  14  7  12.2   6.7
 10000   4.8  40.6  235  13  7  13.5   7.4 |   5.0  41.0  235  14  7  13.0   7.1
  9750   5.5  41.9  240  12  6   7.5   4.1 |   5.6  42.1  235  13  7   6.7   3.7
  9500   6.1  43.0  240  11  6  10.0   5.5 |   6.2  43.2  240  13  7   9.2   5.0
  9250   6.8  44.2  245  11  6   5.9   3.2 |   6.8  44.2  240  13  7   5.6   3.1
  9000   7.1  44.8  250  10  5   7.5   4.1 |   7.2  45.0  245  12  6   6.6   3.6
  8750   8.0  46.4  250  10  5  12.1   6.7 |   7.8  46.0  250  12  6  10.1   5.5
  8500   8.8  47.8  255  10  5  11.6   6.4 |   8.5  47.3  255  12  6   9.7   5.3
  8250   9.7  49.5  255  10  5   9.2   5.0 |   9.2  48.6  265  12  6   7.7   4.2
  8000  10.2  50.4  255  10  5   7.5   4.1 |   9.7  49.5  270  12  6   6.4   3.5
  7750  10.9  51.6  260  10  5  10.8   5.9 |  10.3  50.5  275  12  6   9.7   5.3
  7500  11.8  53.2  260  10  5  12.4   6.8 |  11.1  52.0  280  13  7  11.0   6.0
  7250  12.6  54.7  260  10  5   9.1   5.0 |  11.8  53.2  280  13  7   8.6   4.7
  7000  13.2  55.8  260  10  5   6.6   3.6 |  12.4  54.3  285  13  7   6.9   3.8
  6750  13.8  56.8  260  10  5  11.5   6.3 |  13.0  55.4  285  13  7  10.6   5.8
  6500  14.8  58.6  260  10  5  12.8   7.0 |  13.9  57.0  290  13  7  11.4   6.3
  6250  15.6  60.1  260  10  5   9.5   5.2 |  14.6  58.3  290  13  7   8.7   4.8
  6000  16.3  61.3  265  10  5   8.2   4.5 |  15.2  59.4  290  13  7   7.7   4.2
  5750  17.0  62.6  265   9  5  11.0   6.0 |  15.8  60.4  295  12  6   9.6   5.3
  5500  18.0  64.4  270   8  4  18.9  10.4 |  16.6  61.9  295  10  5  10.1   5.6
________________________________________________________________________________

This product is issued twice per day, once by approximately 0630 MST/0730 MDT
(1330 UTC) and again by approximately 1830 MST/1930 MDT (0130 UTC).  It is not
continuously monitored nor updated after its initial issuance.

The information contained herein is based on rawinsonde observation and/or
numerical weather prediction model data taken near the old Stapleton
Airport site in Denver, Colorado at

                   North Latitude:  39 deg 46 min 5.016 sec
                   West Longitude: 104 deg 52 min 9.984 sec
                   Elevation: 5285 feet (1611 meters)

and may not be representative of other areas along the Front Range of the
Colorado Rocky Mountains.  Note that some elevations in numerical weather
prediction models differ from actual station elevations, which can lead to
data which appear to be below ground.  Erroneous data such as these should
not be used.

The content and format of this report as well as the issuance times are subject
to change without prior notice.  Comments and suggestions are welcome and should
be directed to one of the addresses or phone numbers shown at the bottom of this
page.  To expedite a response to comments, be sure to mention your interest in
the soaring forecast.

DEFINITIONS:

CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy) - An integrated measure of the
     energy available for convective development, also known as the positive
     area on a thermodynamic diagram.  Units are Joules per kilogram.  Larger
     values are indicative of greater instability and the possibility of
     stronger convective activity, including thunderstorms.  Values around or
     greater than 1000 suggest the possibility of severe weather should
     convective activity develop.

CINH (Convective Inhibition) - An integrated measure of the amount of energy
     needed to initiate convective activity, also known as the negative area on
     a thermodynamic diagram.  Units are Joules per kilogram.  The more negative
     this number, the more energy is required to initiate convection.  This
     inhibitive energy can be overcome through surface heating, cooling aloft,
     lifting mechanisms (orographic, frontal, gravity waves, etc.)

Convective Condensation Level - The height to which an air parcel possessing the
     average saturation mixing ratio in the lowest 4000 feet of the airmass,
     if heated sufficiently from below, will rise dry adiabatically until it
     just becomes saturated.  It estimates the base of cumulus clouds that are
     produced by surface heating only.

Convection Temperature (ConvectionT) - The surface temperature required to make
     the airmass dry adiabatic up to the given level.  It can be considered a
     "trigger temperature" for that level.

Freezing Level - The height where the temperature is zero degrees Celsius.

Height of Stable Layer - The height (between 12,000 and 18,000 feet above
     mean sea level) where the smallest lapse rate exists.  The location and
     existence of this feature is important in the generation of mountain
     waves.

K Index - A measure of stability which combines the temperature difference
     between approximately 5,000 and 18,000 feet above the surface, the amount
     of moisture at approximately 5,000 feet above the surface, and a measure
     of the dryness at approximately 10,000 feet above the surface.  Larger
     positive numbers indicate more instability and a greater likelihood of
     thunderstorm development.  One interpretation of K index values regarding
     soaring in the western United States is given in WMO Technical Note 158
     and is reproduced in the following table:

          below -10    no or weak thermals
           -10 to 5    dry thermals or 1/8 cumulus with moderate thermals
            5 to 15    good soaring conditions
           15 to 20    good soaring conditions with occasional showers
           20 to 30    excellent soaring conditions, but increasing
                       probability of showers and thunderstorms
           above 30    more than 60 percent probability of thunderstorms

Lapse Rate - The change with height of the temperature. Negative values indicate
     inversions.

Lifted Condensation Level - The height to which an air parcel possessing the
     average dew point in the lowest 4000 feet of the airmass and the forecast
     maximum temperature must be lifted dry adiabatically to attain saturation.

Lifted Index (LI) - The difference between the environmental temperature at a
     level approximately 18,000 feet above the surface and the temperature of
     an air parcel lifted dry adiabatically from the surface to its lifted
     condensation level and then pseudoadiabatically thereafter to this same
     level.  The parcel`s initial temperature is the forecast maximum
     temperature and its dew point is the average dew point in the lowest 4000
     feet of the airmass.  Negative values are indicative of instability with
     positive values showing stable conditions.

Lift Rate - An experimental estimate of the strength of thermals.  It is
     computed the same way as the maximum rate of lift but uses the actual
     level rather than the maximum height of thermals in the calculation.
     Also, none of the empirical adjustments based on cloudiness and K-index
     are applied to these calculations.

Maximum Height of Thermals - The height where the dry adiabat through the
     forecast maximum temperature intersects the environmental temperature.

Maximum Rate of Lift - An estimate of the maximum strength of thermals.  It
     is computed from an empirical formula which combines the expected maximum
     height of thermals with the difference in the environmental temperatures
     between the maximum height of thermals and the temperature 4,000 feet
     above the ground.  After this computation, further empirical adjustments
     are made based on the value of the K-index and the amount and opacity of
     middle and high level cloudiness expected between the time of trigger
     temperature and the time of overdevelopment.

Middle/High Clouds - The amount and opacity of middle (altostratus, altocumulus)
     or high (cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus) clouds.  Broken means that
     between 60% and 90% of the sky is covered by the cloud, with overcast
     conditions occurring when more than 90% of the sky is covered by the cloud.
     Thin implies that the clouds are predominantly transparent, meaning that
     some sunlight is reaching the ground, in contrast to opaque which suggests
     that little sunlight is reaching the ground.

Potential Height of Wave - The minimum of the following two heights:
     1. Level above the height of stable layer (or 14,000 feet if none exists)
        where the wind direction changes by 30 degrees or more
     2. Level above the height of stable layer (or 14,000 feet if none exists)
        where the wind speed no longer increases with height

PVA/NVA - Positive vorticity advection (PVA)/negative vorticity advection (NVA)
     on the 500 millibar isobaric surface (approximately 18,000 feet above mean
     sea level).  Weak PVA has been shown to assist in mountain wave soaring.

Soaring Window - The time between the time the trigger temperature is reached
                 and the time of overdevelopment.

Thermal Index - The difference between the environmental temperature and the
     temperature at a particular level determined by following the dry adiabat
     through the forecast maximum temperature up to that level.  Negative values
     are indicative of thermal lift.

Thermal Soaring Index - An adjective rating (for sailplanes) based on the
     computed maximum rate of lift, and the wind speed and middle and high
     cloud cover expected during the soaring window (the time of the trigger
     temperature and the time of overdevelopment) according to the following:

                 Maximum rate of lift        Adjective Rating
                      >= 800 fpm                 Excellent
                 >= 400 and < 800 fpm              Good
                 >= 200 and < 400 fpm              Fair
                       < 200 fpm                   Poor

Time of Overdevelopment - The time one or more of the following phenomena,
     which essentially shut off thermal lift, is expected to occur:
     1. formation of broken to overcast convective cloud cover
     2. formation of scattered to numerous downbursts
     3. initiation of widespread precipitation

Time of Trigger Temperature - The time the surface temperature is expected to
     reach the trigger temperature.

Trigger Temperature - The surface temperature required to make the first 4000
     feet of the atmosphere dry adiabatic.

Wave Soaring Index - An empirical, adjective rating (for sailplanes) which
     attempts to combine a variety of phenomena important in mountain wave
     soaring into a single index number.  Objective points are assigned to
     these phenomena: wind speed and direction at 14,000 ft MSL, the static
     stability in the 12,000-18,000 ft MSL layer, the wind speed gradient above
     the stable layer, jet stream location and frontal and upper trough
     movements.

042613