The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels squadron took to the skies over San Francisco Saturday after low clouds and poor visibility forced it to cancel Friday’s Fleet Week performance.
“‘Karl the Fog’ may have gotten in the way yesterday, but we’re ready to return to the skies over the Bay Area,” the flight team posted on social media ahead of their flight Saturday. “We are fired up and ready to bring speed, precision and excitement to San Francisco Fleet Week! »
With clearer conditions, the Angels performed their maneuvers Saturday afternoon and plan to close out the weekend with a final show around 3 p.m. Sunday, weather permitting.
The Navy flight team began its demonstration around 3:50 p.m. Friday with its traditional low-altitude training, but paused to conduct weather reconnaissance while pilots assessed whether conditions would allow them to continue safely.
The planes continued to perform their flybys after 4 p.m., but the team pulled back from its full performance, leaving spectators with a limited show rather than the usual routine of loops, rolls and high-altitude maneuvers. The flyover ended shortly before 4:15 p.m.
Fog had delayed the expected appearance of the Blue Angels until 3 p.m., with cloud heights over San Francisco and the Bay estimated at only 1,000 to 2,000 feet earlier in the afternoon.
The stubborn marine layer turned out to be slower to disappear than previous predictions suggested. Low clouds and poor visibility around the Golden Gate Bridge also threatened other air shows, with some civil acts canceled.
Cloud height and visibility determine which routine the Blue Angels can perform safely. A full demonstration requires a cloud ceiling of at least 8,000 feet, according to the team. Lower ceilings may force pilots to limit their maneuvers.
The waterfront has also been cold, with wind making temperatures feel like they’re reaching the mid-50s.
Saturday brought sunnier skies, improving visibility over the bay, but also stronger winds. Gusts are expected to reach 30 mph or more from late morning to early afternoon.
The National Weather Service expects winds to ease somewhat on Sunday, but for an “even colder air mass” to arrive.
The air show is scheduled for Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., with demonstrations by other military teams and a United Airlines Boeing 777 preceding the Angels.
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