On June 4th, some of the world’s most daring athletes will gather at Possum Kingdom Lake in Texas to kick off the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Cliff diving is an extreme sport that draws athletes from around the world to test their strength and focus by diving into water from platforms as high as 28 meters above the water level. The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series will test the best in the sport at nine different locations around the world.
With such precision needed to safely complete a dive, the weather conditions at the time of the dive can make the difference between a winning performance and a devastating injury. Last year’s competition was moved forward as the Texas weather attempted to steal the limelight, with tornadoes reported within a few miles of the lake, and widespread catastrophic flooding across the region.
Typical high temperatures for Possum Lake in early June are in the upper 80s to low 90s, so there will likely be plenty of heat, especially for the contestants hailing from cooler climates. More importantly, wind will impact the ability of divers to perfect their dive, as the tiniest of pushes from an unexpected gust can throw off a dive. Wind over any stretch of water will also create waves, introducing an interesting dynamic into the timing of a dive. For ocean locations, timing dives with the highest waves will allow divers much needed clearance from the sea floor. In Texas, however, waves will be of little concern as impactful crests do not readily form without many miles of open water to build up on.
Contestants were generally pleased with the weather for the 2015 Texas event, despite many of them having to dive while still jet-lagged due to the event being moved forward. The high temperatures in the mid-80s were slightly cool for late May, something winner Gary Hunt (England) was happy with. “Today the conditions were perfect and it sounds strange saying that because we’ve been talking so much about the weather,” Hunt said. “I like it here and I’ve got my highest scores in this event. I don’t know why it is, but the temperature’s right, the water’s good and it seems to come at a good time, when I’m firing on all cylinders.” The 2015 event was completed before more severe storms and cooler weather moved in.
In the run up to this year’s event, MORECAST meteorologists will be working to ensure the most precise hyperlocal forecast is in place for the event sites. In addition to the experience of the weather experts, a good forecast also depends on the knowledge about the microclimate of the respective locations as well as on the assessment of any potential weather-related impacts. “Can thunderstorms threaten the dive?” – “Could low clouds and fog prevent divers from having a clear view of the water, a vital component of a safe dive?” These are just a few of the conditions that have to be considered. In the days prior to the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, a detailed weather forecast will be prepared and updated continuously afterwards.
Want more? Follow the build up to the Cliff Diving World Series at www.redbullcliffdiving.com.
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Photo: Predrag Vuckovic/Red Bull Content Pool