A HOT AIR BALLOON ENCOUNTERED UNPREDICTED THERMALS.

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IN SUM: THE RPTR LAUNCHED HIS BALLOON WITH MORE THAN 2 HRS DAYLIGHT AFTER CHKING THE WX FROM SEVERAL SOURCES. ALL RPTS WERE INDICATING A S FLOW. THE INTENT WAS TO FLY TO THE S OF THE CITY. AFTER A PERIOD OF S FLT; THE BALLOON REVERSED COURSE. THE RPTR ATTEMPTED A LNDG BUT WAS STYMIED BY TREES. THE RPTR WAS NOW TRAVELING BACK TOWARDS THE CITY. HE GOT CAUGHT IN THERMALS; CAUSING THE BALLOON TO CLB TO AS HIGH AS 1500 FT AGL AND CAUSING THE RPTR TO ABORT LNDG APCHS. THE SPRINGFIELD FIRE DEPT JOINED IN THE CHASE WITH 2 TRUCKS. THE RPTR TRIED TO GET LNDG ASSISTANCE BY THROWING OUT A DROP LINE; BUT IT FELL INTO A 'NEARBY GARBAGE CAN' AND WAS USELESS. FINALLY THE BALLOON LANDED SAFELY WITH NO INJURY OR DAMAGE TO BALLOON OR PROPERTY. THE FIRE DEPT ASKED FOR THE RPTR'S N-NUMBER. THE RPTR WAS BECOMING CONCERNED WITH HIS FUEL LEVEL; BUT STILL HAD A GOOD FLAME ON LNDG. NEITHER HE NOR ANY OF HIS BALLOONING COMPANIONS HAVE EVER SEEN THERMAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS THESE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR IS AN ATTORNEY IN SPRINGFIELD; MO. HE FLIES AN AEROSTAR RALLY 7. HE WAS SURPRISED BY THE THERMAL ACTIVITY AS THE TEMP AT TKOF WAS ONLY 53 DEGS F. HE LANDED WITH ABOUT 3 GALLONS FUEL LEFT; MUCH LESS THAN HE WOULD HAVE LIKED; BUT HIS FLAME WAS STILL GOOD. HE 'WAS NOT DOWN TO THE FUMES YET.' HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THE FAA NOR FROM THE FIRE DEPT. HE BELIEVES THAT THEY WANTED HIS N-NUMBER FOR THEIR ACTIVITY RPT. HE HAS HEARD OF SEVERAL OTHER RPTS OF THE FIRE DEPT CHASING BALLOONS IN THE CITY.