Whereas the "DrJack" RUC and NAM BLIPMAP soaring forecasts available in the U.S. are obtained by post-processing files output by the "equations of motion" meteorological models run by the U.S. Weather Bureau, RASP BLIPMAPs are obtained by independently running an "equations of motion" model by a soaring-weather enthusiast who has installed the freely-available RASP program on their local PC. This independent run has many advantages over reliance on government-run models:
Operational high-resolution RASP BLIPMAP forecasts are being produced daily by these websites:
SW South Africa (4 & 1.3 km resolution) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Ian Forbes)
Santa Barbara, California, USA (1.3 & 4 km resolution) (produced by a hang glider pilot, Don Taber)
Central Europe esp. Germany (4 & 12 km resolution) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Hendrik Hoeth)
South Australia (12km resolution) (produced by a hang glider pilot, David George)
Pemberton, B.C. Canada (0.8 km resolution) (produced by a HG/PG? pilot, Fred Wilson)
Pacific NW USA/Canada (1.3 & 4 km resolution) (produced by a paraglider pilot, TJ Olney)
Los Angeles & San Diego California, USA (1.3 & 4 km resolution) (produced by a hangglider/paraglider pilot, Allen Crouse)
Baltic, S.Finland, W.Russia (7.2km resolution) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Elmer Joandi)
Southern Italy (6km resolution) (produced by a paraglider pilot, Antonio Correale)
Russia (6km resolution) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Linar Yusupov)
Japan - Kanto (2,6km resolution) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Haruhiko Okamura)
Japan - Tohoku (2.6km resolution) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Haruhiko Okamura)
Japan - Chubu (2.6km resolution) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Haruhiko Okamura)
Japan - Hokkaido (2.6km resolution) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Haruhiko Okamura)
Japan - Kyushu (2.6km resolution) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Haruhiko Okamura)
North Plains, Oregon, USA (Willamette Valley Soaring Club) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Caz Yokoyama)
Ephrata Washingon, USA (produced by a sailplane pilot, Caz Yokoyama)
Avenal, California, USA (0.9 km resolution) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Alex Caldwell)
Santa Ynez, California, USA (0.9 km resolution) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Alex Caldwell)
San Diego, California, USA (0.9 km resolution) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Alex Caldwell)
New Zealand (3.3 km resolution) (produced by a paraglider pilot, Glen Ogilvie)
Central Germany (2 km resolution) (produced by a sailplane pilot, Florian Sammueller)
Europe Thermal map (produced by Richard and Tim Stuhler)
New England states, USA (produced by a sailplane pilot, Steve Paavola)
Non-operational example forecasts, not being run daily, are available for:
Sierra Mts. CA/NV (4km resolution)
Minden NV - Tahoe CA (1.3 & 4 km resolution)<
Sierra Mts. CA/NV (4km resolution) - for a mt. wave day in the southern Sierras, (3 April 2005)
Minden NV - Tahoe CA (4km resolution) - for a mt. wave day, 27 March 2005
Sierra Mts. CA/NV (4km resolution) - for a stronger mt. wave day with notable secondary/tertiary waves (18 May 2005)
(In the above, note the agreement of the 500mb
vertical velocity forecast waves and the
corresponding satellite clouds, particularly the agreement in location of the
secondary/tertiary waves)
News items:
RASP
BLIPMAPs inspire a "North Sea" Turnpoint - "Sailplane and Gliding"
article by John Williams
For futher Information:
RASP Forum - comments and discussion by RASP user/operators
RASP Creation - information for those interested in running RASP for their own region
