Weather websites.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Yes
Weather websites.
Any recommendations for aviation related websites that are reasonable accurate at forecasting the weather 3 to 4 days ahead ?
I know it's a problem we all face, trying to work out the weather a few days ahead before booking a session. I currently use the BBC which is reasonably good given the problems of weather forecasting but isn't aviation biased.
I know it's a problem we all face, trying to work out the weather a few days ahead before booking a session. I currently use the BBC which is reasonably good given the problems of weather forecasting but isn't aviation biased.
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Yorkshire
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: England
Weather Online UK - current weather and weather forecast worldwide This is quite good especially for precipitation and cloud maps.
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Joined: Feb 2000
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
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From: UK
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Amsterdam
Wetter : Wetterzentrale : Top Karten is a nice collection from various sources. Take a look at the "Diagramme"; "GFS 0.5" and click on your location.
Also the FAX section gives you access to various synoptic charts, including Bracknell. But take a good look at the run date and forecast date of these charts, as the set is not always complete and may include the occasional chart from 2004, or mix charts from two different calculation runs.
UK Weather Forecasts - Radar, Alerts, News and More - Netweather.tv and look for the GFS Weather Charts. It uses the same GFS source.
Google for Sembach Weather, look at the loop so you can see what's happening.
Any form of rainfall radar for short-term forecasts (MeteoX for instance)
iPad apps: AeroWeather and WeatherProHD
WindGURU: Weather forecasts for windsurfing, kitesurfing and other wind related sports
Also the FAX section gives you access to various synoptic charts, including Bracknell. But take a good look at the run date and forecast date of these charts, as the set is not always complete and may include the occasional chart from 2004, or mix charts from two different calculation runs.
UK Weather Forecasts - Radar, Alerts, News and More - Netweather.tv and look for the GFS Weather Charts. It uses the same GFS source.
Google for Sembach Weather, look at the loop so you can see what's happening.
Any form of rainfall radar for short-term forecasts (MeteoX for instance)
iPad apps: AeroWeather and WeatherProHD
WindGURU: Weather forecasts for windsurfing, kitesurfing and other wind related sports
Joined: Sep 2011
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From: Belgium
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 50
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From: Kittyhawk
Weather Sites.
As well those menttioned above try this site.
Aviation Weather >> Europe > metar taf sigmet notam winds aloft significant weather information
This has many links and rewards some effort from the user to explore.
Charlie
As well those menttioned above try this site.
Aviation Weather >> Europe > metar taf sigmet notam winds aloft significant weather information
This has many links and rewards some effort from the user to explore.
Charlie
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: SoCal
There is an excellent Spanish site (in both Spanish and English) that also has historical METARs and TAFs, charts, etc:
Ogimet home page
Ogimet home page
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Luton
www.topmeteo.eu
Gives 'today' plus next three days. In English and German. Target marketplace is recreational aviation with different data displayed for aeroplanes, gliders and balloons.
Like many things in life you get what you pay for and this is a subscription service. I pay (less than one Euro per week) and it's worth it to me.
You can subscribe by the individual chart, for three days, two weeks or a year.
Gives 'today' plus next three days. In English and German. Target marketplace is recreational aviation with different data displayed for aeroplanes, gliders and balloons.
Like many things in life you get what you pay for and this is a subscription service. I pay (less than one Euro per week) and it's worth it to me.
You can subscribe by the individual chart, for three days, two weeks or a year.
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 128
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From: London
No. They're all equally useless/unreliable/general/vague except when even an idiot can look out the window and work out if it's going to rain or not. And if you're looking for a forecast beyond 3 or 4 days, don't bother.
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: EGPT/ESVS
If you want to look ahead a little, have a look at "ac network weather" which is at acweather.b l o g s p o t.com , can't give the link due to the prune rules turning it into http://acweather.********.com/then click on North Atlantic and you'll be able to see what's coming across the pond in a few days...
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Luton
Joined: Jan 2008
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
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From: The Smaller Antipode
New Zealand Weather Forecasts rainfall and wind direction ( not cloud base ) but gives a good idea of whether it is likely to be a good flying day.
Select forecast charts, United Kingdom, 3 or 7 day thumbnails and click on one of the thumbnails to get a large picture.
The rainfall is colour coded from mauve through blue and green - if it shows red flee the Country !
and .............
Weather Forecast & Reports - Long Range & Local | Wunderground : Weather Underground
type in the nearest big town.
Select forecast charts, United Kingdom, 3 or 7 day thumbnails and click on one of the thumbnails to get a large picture.
The rainfall is colour coded from mauve through blue and green - if it shows red flee the Country !
and .............
Weather Forecast & Reports - Long Range & Local | Wunderground : Weather Underground
type in the nearest big town.
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Aviation Qualifications: CPL
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From: Near the bottom
I've always found xcweather.co.uk to be accurate and detailed for the UK
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From: EuroGA.org
One picks the websites according to one's flying.
Here's a good collection.
You will find that practically all free websites deliver data from the US-run GFS weather model, which is free (subsidised by the US taxpayer, like so much in aviation
). The UK Met Office keeps most of its data confidential because they sell it, at a hefty subscription in 4 digits plus, to commercial weather repackaging firms, and it publishes F214, F215, the MSLP charts, and little else. The UKMO MSLP charts can be found, in variously out of date / disorganised forms, on sites such as this. Or you can get it nicely set out and up to date from Avbrief.
I think the huge number of weather sites is largely illusory because most get the stuff from the same place (GFS) or from each other
TAFs and METARs normally come from the US NWS site, or one of its spinoffs, because each country is obliged to deliver this info under ICAO obligations.
Except as a very general forecast of what is coming, in a reasonably fast moving frontal weather situation (which is quite common in the UK), you cannot forecast 3-4 days ahead with any meaning for VFR aviation. The UKMO MSLP charts are the best general guide for what is coming but unless you are an expert (i.e. a full time forecaster and a good one too) you won't be able to work out likely cloudbases or tops from that, several days ahead.
Here's a good collection.
You will find that practically all free websites deliver data from the US-run GFS weather model, which is free (subsidised by the US taxpayer, like so much in aviation
). The UK Met Office keeps most of its data confidential because they sell it, at a hefty subscription in 4 digits plus, to commercial weather repackaging firms, and it publishes F214, F215, the MSLP charts, and little else. The UKMO MSLP charts can be found, in variously out of date / disorganised forms, on sites such as this. Or you can get it nicely set out and up to date from Avbrief.I think the huge number of weather sites is largely illusory because most get the stuff from the same place (GFS) or from each other
TAFs and METARs normally come from the US NWS site, or one of its spinoffs, because each country is obliged to deliver this info under ICAO obligations.
Any recommendations for aviation related websites that are reasonable accurate at forecasting the weather 3 to 4 days ahead ?
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Scotland
Weather Sites
Not sure about the Pacific Rim, but I quite like the charts from USAF 21st Operational Weather Squadron
21st Operational Weather Squadron
No words but the pictures are good when used with say Metoffice and Orbifly
21st Operational Weather Squadron
No words but the pictures are good when used with say Metoffice and Orbifly
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 248
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From: South-East, United Kingdom
In the UK I would recommend good old BBC Weather, which uses MetOffice data . I have seen or used most of the sites already mentioned, but I generally find the BBC website to be about as good as it gets for 3 - 4 day planning.
BBC Weather : Luton Airport
BBC Weather : Luton Airport