As I turned onto Millbrae Ave this afternoon around 1540 PST a jet passes low overhead southbound: an MD-11, so likely KLM: possibly a go-around, but if they're on time they've gotta be departing: sure enough, turn on the radio and they're on 120.9 getting cleared to Sacramento on their way to AMS.

Well, well-- some entertainment to come. I assume KLM departed 19L, but that's still rare enough for heavy jets. For those that aren't familiar, the ridge south of the airport is 1800 ft above the field where the runway centerline crosses it, just under 6 nm from the south end of the runway. The departure calls for an immediate left turn, no specified heading but intercept the SFO 090 radial, so I guess they typically turn to 040 or some such.

Eventually I hear AA 1456 (M83 to ORD), DL 620 (757 to JFK), UA 186 (A319 to PHL), NW 221 (753 to HNL) and AF 83 (A343 to CDG)-- they're all sitting out at the west end of the runways 10 waiting for the gusts to drop. The wind is 180-190, 27 to 30 knots with gusts 35-40; visibility must be 20 miles plus, no clouds below 6000 ft anyway. Landings on both 19s, departures on both 19s-- here comes NCA 138, 744 to ORD-- he departs 19R. Emirates 226 calls tower, says they're ready-- tower is surprised, gives them the wind, says you're ready? Affirmative-- they line up on 10L and wait for a few minutes for a gap in the arrivals, then off they go to Dubai -- via J1 to SEA, says the Flightaware plan.

Skywest 5918 (CR7 from YEG) approaches 19L-- 100 ft over the threshold I notice they're pretty nose-down-- sure enough around they go. The aircraft that just departed 19R is now a mile or two south of the field heading east and turning back to intercept the radial, so we have a definite awkward situation here. Initial heading 090 for Skywest, climb to 3000, you have the traffic in sight?, maintain visual separation. Skywest says they lost 30 knots (I think he said 30, but tower advised subsequent arrivals of a report of a 20-knot loss, so maybe I heard wrong).

AA 1456 calls tower and asks if gusts are dropping at all-- no joy-- back to the gate. DL 620 likewise. AF decides to head over to 19L and eventually gets out of town-- tower gave him wind 180 at 27, gusts 37 when he cleared him for takeoff. Skywest reappears; this time they report a 10-knot increase at 500 ft.