AN INEXPERIENCED GA PLT ENCOUNTERS RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WX AND MUST BE ASSISTED BY AN APCH CTLR TO A SAFE LNDG.

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I CONTACTED SAT APCH APPROX AB45 PM; 30 MI FROM THE ARPT. ATIS GAVE THE CONDITIONS 10000 FT PLUS; VISIBILITY 10 MI; WINDS 150 DEGS AT 9 KTS; ALTIMETER 30.00; TEMP 66; DEWPOINT 61. I WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 12R. AT 23 MI OUT; NEXT ATIS GAVE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME RPT. ALT ENRTE WAS 3500 FT; HDG 210 DEGS. AT 15 MI OUT; VISIBILITY STARTED TO DETERIORATE AND ATC INDICATED THAT THE CEILING WAS 1600 FT BROKEN; 10 MI VISIBILITY. I STARTED TO DSND TO 2200 FT AND HAD STARTED A L TURN TO MAINTAIN VFR WHEN I HIT A CLOUD BANK AND LOST VISIBILITY. AT 2200 FT; I REGAINED VISIBILITY AND WAS INSTRUCTED BY ATC TO GO TO 3500 FT. ATC WAS ADVISED THAT I HAD BEEN IN A CLOUD AND I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO AVOID OBSTACLES IN THE AREA. I INFORMED ATC THAT I WAS AGAIN IN THE CLOUDS WITH NO VISIBILITY. AT 3500 FT; I WAS ABOVE THE CLOUDS. ATC HAD BEEN ADVISED THAT I WAS NOT INST RATED; AND I WAS OFFERED THE OPTION TO FLY ON TOP LOOKING FOR A HOLE OR TO BE TALKED IN. I HAD FLOWN THE SAME APCH; AT NIGHT AND DURING THE DAY; ON INSTS AS PIC; WITH AN INSTRUCTOR. ON BOTH OCCASIONS; CEILING WAS BELOW 1500 FT WITH VISIBILITY LESS THAN 4 MI. I CHOSE TO BE TALKED IN BEFORE THE CONDITIONS COULD WORSEN. AT APPROX 2000 FT; I BROKE THROUGH THE CLOUDS; SAW THE ARPT; AND MADE A SAFE APCH AND LNDG. AFTER REVIEWING THE CHAIN OF EVENTS AND DISCUSSING THE SIT WITH A CFI; I DETERMINED THAT THE TEMP/DEWPOINT SPREAD WAS INSUFFICIENT TO DEPEND ON VFR FLT AT NIGHT OVER A 2 HR PERIOD; ESPECIALLY GIVEN WIND CONDITIONS FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO. IF FLYING VFR AT NIGHT; A FULL WX BRIEFING SHOULD BE OBTAINED IF LEAVING THE VICINITY OF THE HOME ARPT; AND SPECIAL ATTN SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE TEMP/DEWPOINT SPREAD. MY EXPERIENCE INCLUDES 14 HRS OF NIGHT FLYING.