Following a Fast-moving Cold Front

After a cold front moves through, residual winds can still deliver powerful effects for a day or more. Mechanical turbulence and gusts are usually still present, and you should respect them accordingly on takeoff.

Knowing the key indicators in weather products can help you mitigate the risk of a departure stall and ensure that leaving the airport area is a safe event. Anticipating how to handle disrupted air can make all the difference.

Here are a few thoughts worth considering and incorporating into your preflight planning. 

Review the winds/temps aloft charts. ForeFlight, aviationweather.gov, and 1800wxbrief all offer some clues. If the winds are diminishing as you go higher, so are the residual cold front effects and energy. 

Review the constant pressure charts. Look at 10,000-foot and 5,000-foot isobars to see if the wind speed and direction trends are consistent or if they become disrupted (turbulent).

Check surrounding METARs and TAFs. Always get the big picture to help determine if winds are better, worse, or the same. Products like AeroWeather Pro populate multiple local fields instantly and let you see the overall situation.

Rehearse your crosswind takeoff procedures. Visualize what the plane will likely do once the wheels leave the ground. Imagine allowing it to weathervane into the wind and keeping the ball centered. Create a mental movie of the pitch being punched by updrafts while you focus on solid elevator control. You know...chair flying. 

Fly the plane first. If radio calls are required, handle them as your workload allows. Preset all your frequencies to minimize the time your hand is off the yoke or throttle.

Carry multiple pens in case turbulence knocks one loose. You don't want to bend over and grab your sole writing instrument as you're climbing and turning. Coriolis effect can disorient you almost immediately. 

Set and respect your personal wind minimums, including gust minimums, and you'll stay on the safe side of post-cold front takeoffs. It only takes a few minutes of planning to help you feel confident about your departure decision.