Ojai - Chief
📍 California , Ventura County · Nearest city: Meiners Oaks (1 km)
54 XC score / 100 · takeoff at 229 m · 📍 View on map
Coordinates and external links
34.44690, -119.27000Forecast next days
Updated: 2026-04-21 01:28 UTC · Source: Open-Meteo · Thermal window 10:00–18:00 local time
Not recommended for flying, cloud base ~325 m, wind 23 km/h, precipitation 9.7 mm.
base ~325m · wind 23 km/h · precip 9.7mmNot recommended for flying, cloud base ~1286 m, wind 19 km/h.
base ~1286m · wind 19 km/hMarginal conditions, cloud base ~1611 m, wind 15 km/h.
base ~1611m · wind 15 km/hComposite flyability score (CAPE + LI + wind + precip + low clouds). Cross-check with local pilots before flying.
Detailed hourly weather
2026-04-21⚠️ Marginal · peak 45 at 16h
- Cloud cover >85% — no radiation to trigger thermals
⏰ Useful window: 16:00 – 17:00
| 08 40 | 09 20 | 10 20 | 11 20 | 12 15 | 13 20 | 14 15 | 15 25 | 16 45 | 17 35 | 18 35 | 19 45 | 20 45 |
Peak 16h: CAPE 50 J/kg · LI 6.2 · BL top 1210 m · w* 8.0 m/s · cloud base 1166 m · 0°C at 2290 m · Pro score 65/100 · sun 28° over slope
Hourly flyability (0–100). ⛈️ = storm risk · ☁️⚠️ = cloud suck · 🏔️ = active ridge lift. CAPE = convective energy, LI = stability, BL top = thermal ceiling, w* = estimated dry thermal velocity. Source: Open-Meteo (ECMWF/GFS/ICON blend model).
Estimated vertical profile (Sounding)
Reference time: 16:00 (peak of the day)
Surface T: 16.9°C · Td: 9.4°C
LCL (cloud base): 937 m
BL top: 1210 m
0°C level: 2290 m
Approximate profile from surface variables + synoptic levels. Red lines = temperature, dashed blue = dew point. Orange bands = detected inversions.
Wind chart — altitude × time
Color: green < 20 km/h · yellow 20-30 · red >40. Arrows point to where the wind is blowing. Each column = 1 hour. 4 altitudes: 10m surface, 80m first thermal, 1500m (850 hPa) thermal cruise, 3000m (700 hPa) top.
Wind next days (Open-Meteo model)
Wind rose 10m — 2026-04-21
| Date | Morning 08-12h | Midday 12-16h | Evening 16-20h | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-21 | 7 km/h SE | gust 28 | 5 km/h SW | gust 18 | 14 km/h W | gust 18 |
Colors: green < 15 km/h (optimal) · orange 15-25 · red >25 (flying not recommended). ⚠️ = shear >25 km/h between 10m and 850 hPa (potentially broken thermals).
Takeoff orientations
Green = good orientation · Yellow = possible · Gray = not suitable
Why this site has thermal potential
| Factor | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Hotspot density (5 km) | 4 | Medium |
| Avg thermal probability | 0.93 | Based on thousands of aggregated IGC flights |
| Solar orientation | 0.45 | Slope faces south in northern hemisphere |
| Own flight history | 0.00 | Thermals detected in platform IGC tracks |
Takeoff description
Easy
Pilot comments
The Santa Barbara flying sites are extremely sensitive to local politics. In the past, some of these sites have been suspended by the local government. The local Flying Club is constantly working to keep these sites available for free flight. Therefore, the local club has elected not to disclose the locations of the launch sites and landing zones. Anyone wishing to fly in Santa Barbara should contact one of the local schools or the local club.
Nearby sites
Nuthouse (51) · Pine (53) · Carpinteria Launch (33) · Private Property (0) · Parma LZ (46) · back of the rack (49)