WEATHER and BOWLING!!!

[MICHAEL]

Don't know about most of you, but I find I do my best scores, in the spring/summer. I know that sounds weird, me being Iceman, but after looking over my best series/games.

Reason I ask, and this thread has been brought up before, today,,, its almost 60 degrees here in Kansas City! When we get done bowing tonight it will be headed for 5 degrees!! CRAZY....

Does the weather effect your bowling? Have you bowled a higher average on a summer league, vs a winter league?

[zdawg]

I live in San Diego and this is my first league, so no I guess weather is not an issue since the temp stays the same pretty much year round (which is why I moved here in the first place)

[bowl1820]

See:
The Weather’s Changing…Are Your Lane Conditions?
http://www.kegel.net/V3/ArticleDetails.aspx?ID=72


Weather, Topography, and Ball Motion
http://www.kegel.net/wpa/ted04

Lane Conditions and Cold Snaps
http://www.kegel.net/wpa/lane-conditions-and-cold-snaps

The Weather’s Changing…Are Your Lane Conditions?
http://www.kegel.net/wpa/ted02

10 Things That Everyone Should Know About Lane Conditioners
http://www.kegel.net/wpa/cc01


The main affect the weather has is on the oil and it's viscosity. The cooler the lane surface is when oiled, the more the oil has a chance to bond onto the lane properly. When oil is applied to a cooler lane surface, the oil is kept from migrating, due to the disruption of heat. An oil pattern applied to the cooler lane surface will be truer to the intended lane pattern characteristics..

A lot of house's change the pattern lengths trying to compensate for it.

From Kegel:

. Temperature
Effects on Lane Conditioner - I can't say enough of how important temperature is to lane conditioners. Many people have their theories about how lane conditions change when the weather changes so we decided to get some hard facts.

In early 1997, we conducted several tests to see how much conditioners changed when the temperature was raised or lowered. What we found was eye-opening. The viscosity of some conditioners changed 2 cps (centipoises) for every 1ºF of temperature change. That means if you start with a 20cps (viscosity) conditioner and the temperature drops from 80 ºF to 70ºF, the viscosity of that conditioner would be 40cps. This is not true for all lane conditioners. Some only change 1cp for every 2º F of temperature change. That is only 25% the change as some of the others, BUT regardless of how much they change it's important to know that all of them do.

• Temperature affects the molecules of lane conditioners by causing them to slow down when cold or speed up when hot. Think of water turning to ice and water boiling.
• Temperature will affect the viscosity, which in turn also changes the flow rate through wicks.
• When the viscosity of the conditioner is changed the ball reaction will also be different as a result.
• The capillaries in most wicks will shrink up when it gets colder restricting flow

.

[tr33frog]

In KC we get a lot of weather issues on the lanes, especially with the humidity. Heck you will even notice it throughout the house with the end lanes being some of the harder to shoot in the house because they are closer to the outdoors.

[RobLV1]

The weather definitely affects the lanes. In some cases it's the temperature, especially where it's very cold outside and the area behind the pin decks is not heated. In other cases it's the humidity. In Las Vegas, during our "Monsoon Season" in July in August when the humidity goes way up, we often see very wet/dry conditions resulting most probably from the moisture in the air settling on the oil that results in more skid until the ball reaches the dry where it just flat out turns left. Another issue with the weather, wherever you're living (except maybe San Diego LOL), is the number of bowlers who leave their bowling balls in the trunks of their cars. Cold balls hook more than after the balls warm up. Balls left in the trunk in Las Vegas during the summer are either bled of built up oil, or else they crack in half: good luck and take your chances!

[YODA]

Maybe it is just me, but I bowl better during the colder months then I do in the summer. Unsure why though...but it was nice to read Bowl1820s post above about all that stuff

[MICHAEL]

I was mainly talking about the physical body of the bowler..... LOL,,,, I just seem to be stiffer in winter, then in the spring and summer..... I have a lot of war injuries from working in the cold as an Iron Worker putting up towers, buildings, bridges... I JUST SEEM to bowl with more comfort in the summer, spring, wearing my shorts! I do have nice legs,,, why cover them up!! (

[Mudpuppy]

I bowl better in the winter

[dpatrickv]

I typically bowl better in the winter.

I also seem to bowl more in the winter...so that probably explains it.

[classygranny]

Winter? what's that? Guess I bowl better in the Spring/Summer....LOL

Great articles...thanks Bowl!