Thermals

[NCelkhtr]

I have read post after post on here about thermals going down in the mornings...this is throwing me off. I was always under the thought that in the mornings the ground and everything is heating up, therefore your thermals are going up. Also that in the evenings everything is cooling down therefore the thermals is going downhill. Is there something different here between the big mountains in the west vs. ones here in the east? have I just been wrong on my thoughts on this all along?

[mrganser]

There is a great thread on here for thermals that accurately describes them. The later in the morning as the sun begins to hear the ground is when the thermals start going up.

[Swede]

The thread I think mrganzer is referring to is Understanding Mountain Thermals started here on February 15, 2014. Anyway thermals (diurnal winds) continue to go down in the morning until the sun starts to shine on the land. That heating is incomplete at first, so for awhile the diurnal winds shift, and you can move from point to point during parts of the morning and experience different wind directions.

[Indian Summer]

You're almost right. Key words would be "heating up". In the mountains air cools pretty quick but takes awhile to heat up. That doesn't actually happen until maybe an hour or even 2+ hours after sunup depending on where you are. A east slope will warm before a west slope that won't see sun until later in the day. In the morning all of the air is cool. It takes awhile for the sun to have an effect. Just because it gets light out doesn't mean the air temp has turned the corner yet.

During the day not everywhere really gets warm. Heavy timbered north slopes can be cool all day. So much so that some places have downdrafts all day long. Things happen a little quicker in the evening when the sun gets really low in the sky and even moreso when it dips below the horizon.

There is no difference in the east and the west but it is something that may vary at higher elevations. Hope that helps.

[poisonarrow]

Where we live we see this every morning. There is a valley to the east and mountains in the west. The idea is that cold air is heavier and warm air is lighter. As the sun heats up the air it rises, causing a "thermal". The warm air rises up the mountain slopes. At night it reverses. The cold air settles to the lowest spot, the valley. We are about 300' above the valley floor and it is almost always fifteen degrees warmer in the morning at our house.

Hope this helps you understand the concept.

[Indian Summer]

Another quick analogy that may help: Consider what happens when you boil water. You can turn the flame up high and for awhile you can still put your finger in there. it takes awhile to heat up. But once it comes to a boil if you turn the flame off.... the bubbles stop immediately. It seems to me that thermals take a little while to kick in in the morning but they turn downhill pretty quick once the sun gets low. That's why the air is still dropping for a bit in the am..... the flame is on low for awhile.

[Trophyhill]

Can thermals be going 1 way and the wind the other?

[otcWill]

Good question, David. I "think" the answer is yes. The wind will do its own thing leaving thermals extremely unpredictable for most of the day. When the thermals oppose the wind it creates what we call "swirling" winds and crappy hunting. As the winds die down in the evening we tend to get about 45 min. of the most predictable wind (thermals) on the mountain. This is the time to capitalize. A little off topic, but I often
hear gusy say, "I hunt ALL day". I think that could be one of the most common mistakes in bowhunting elk. Just my personal opinion but for me once I find em, I try to pick my battles i.e.: choose the best time to carry out my plan whether it be spot/stalk, ambush/call-in, or challenge. Hope this helps

[Trophyhill]

Good question, David. I "think" the answer is yes. The wind will do its own thing leaving thermals extremely unpredictable for most of the day. When the thermals oppose the wind it creates what we call "swirling" winds and crappy hunting. As the winds die down in the evening we tend to get about 45 min. of the most predictable wind (thermals) on the mountain. This is the time to capitalize. A little off topic, but I often
hear gusy say, "I hunt ALL day". I think that could be one of the most common mistakes in bowhunting elk. Just my personal opinion but for me once I find em, I try to pick my battles i.e.: choose the best time to carry out my plan whether it be spot/stalk, ambush/call-in, or challenge. Hope this helps

I think this is where patience pays off. These last couple years I have located the elk in their bedding areas and sat patiently while waiting for that magical hour just before dark. I love this time of day! Call and stalk/move has worked well for me but not against the other methods you mentioned either.

[NCelkhtr]

starting to understand this a little better now, thanks for the help fellas