Episode 031 Weather Report

"The train is coming tomorrow...". The weather reports we are getting are dismal. The thing is, you can't just keep waiting and waiting for good weather. It's time to put up or shut up. Tomorrow, Ben and Lhawang will return to ABC to see what can be done about getting to the top of this mountain.

Our good friend, Denis, from one of the other expeditions has subscribed to some weather reports. Unfortunately, he had no computer with which to access them! Fortunately, he found us and we've worked out a symbiotic situation where he uses my computer to get the reports, then shares all of the information with us. I just wish he had better news to share.

The reports keep calling for more wind up high and Bertrand is having none of it. He keeps joking, wishing that there were a train stop here at base camp. "If there were a train, I would take it home" he keeps muttering in his thick French accent. I bust up laughing every time he says it and it's been helping to break the tension of the weather situation.

See, the climbers who are here on their own means have spent tens of thousands of dollars for the opportunity to summit Everest. Those who have been sponsored to be here (like Ben) feel a real pressure to at least try and summit. This holding pattern we've been in is getting to everyone.

I think I can hear that ol' train a comin'.

Jon Miller

Total Running Time: 16:04

Denis' terrible weather forcast: Prévisions Everest bulletin du jeudi 8 mai 2003

Jeudi 8 : beau le matin, formation rapide des nuages d'après-midi avec de la
neige, sommet de la couche 7000 m.
Vent 7000 m : 50 d'ouest, nord-ouest faible en fin d'après-midi.
8000 m : 60 d'ouest, nord-ouest faible en fin d'après-midi.
sommet : 90 d'ouest, ouest 40 en fin d'après-midi.
Vendredi 9 : beau le matin, rapide formation des nuages d'après-midi donnant
de la neige, sommet de la couche 7000 m. il neige pour la nuit.
Vent 7000 m : nord-ouest faible
8000 m : nord-ouest 60
sommet : ouest 100.
samedi 10 : dégagé au-dessus de 7000 m, couche nuageuse entre 6 et 7000 m.
Vent 7000 m : nord-ouest 50.
8000 m : nord-ouest 70.
sommet : nord-ouest 90.
dimanche 11 : juste un peu beau le matin, formation des nuages, bouché dès
midi avec de la neige. Clair dans la nuit mais augmentation du vent.
Vent 7000 m : nord-ouest 40.
8000 m : nord-ouest 60.
sommet : nord-ouest 100, -30°.
lundi 12 : beau temps la journée.
Vent 7000 m : nord-ouest 60
8000 m : nord-ouest 80
sommet : nord-ouest 120.
mardi 13 : beau temps.
Vent 7000 m : nord-ouest 70.
8000 m : nord-ouest 90.
sommet : nord-ouest 120.
mercredi 14 : beau temps.
Vent 7000 m : nord-ouest 70.
8000 m : nord-ouest 90.
sommet : nord-ouest 130.
Jeudi 15 : beau temps.
Vent 7000 m : nord-ouest 70.
8000 m : nord-ouest 100.
sommet : nord-ouest 150.
Tendance : 16/17/18/ ouest 100 au sommet.
19/20/ sud-ouest 80 au sommet.
21/22/23/24 sud-ouest 40/50 au sommet.

Click Here to Go Back to the Podcast Episodes