We posted Bruce's Worksheet, but subsequently removed it (May 02) because Bruce indicated it needed further revision.  Bruce is unavailable for further consultation, so if anyone has a version later than May, please forward it so we can post his most recent work.  9/22/02 Secretary

Bruce's Instructions

A number of you have asked about an Excel spreadsheet I had created to graph lapse rates.

The worksheet will create a graphic representation of the predicted temperatures at the altitudes for which data is given in the winds aloft forecast for 2 forecast points (being in Ojai, I use SBA & WJF, but any 2 will work). At each altitude, it also lists predicted wind strength and direction and calculates the lapse rate between that altitude and the one below it. For example, the 9,000' line lists the lapse rate for the air between 6 & 9. Note that winds aloft gives wind but not temperature for 3,000' and not even wind within 1500 ft AGL (as at WJF). The purple line uses the standard dry adiabatic lapse rate to show the fate of thermals leaving the ground from a designated altitude at a designated temperature (currently 750' [Ojai] @ 80 deg). Theoretically, thermals will stop at the altitude where they hit the other curves. Because winds aloft presents a limited data set, if the curves are non-linear, we really don't know where the non-linearity occurs between 2 points

The sheet uses data taken from the SCPA weather pages - in this example for Sunday, April 21.

Copy the line of data for the desired stations INCLUDING THE STATION NAME (e.g. SBA) from the winds aloft web page and paste it into cells B1 and B2.

From the temperature forecast page, get the appropriate predicted temperatures and enter into B12 and B23 next to the appropriate altitude data in A12 and A23.

Bruce Wallace

When you click on the link for the "Chart" link, IE will ask you if you want to download the file or open it.

If you choose to save it, you can specify a location, or go with the windows default.

If you choose to open it (the default option), it will open in a new browser window.  You can then toggle back and forth to cut and paste.  When you close the file, Excel will ask you if you want to save your changes.  If you say yes, it will prompt you for a name and location on your hard disk.  My computer will default to the last used directory.  I recommend you choose to open it and then save it when your done.

Your Secretary