Geremy Kornreich sent in this photo, explaining, “Heavy fog shrouds the control tower, and the whole area, at Modesto, California’s KMOD airport on Jan. 30, 2018. The fog, a frequent occurrence during the winter months, finally lifted about 10:30 a.m. Above the ground layer fog, the weather was calm and smooth.” Would you to like […]
Weather
Picture of the day: Waiting out the storm, take 2
Bryan Quickmire sent in this picture of the day, with a note: “Holed up in Pecos, Texas. Waiting for the snow to pass. I was reminded of this shot by the picture of the day for Jan. 11, 2018, taken on the exact same spot!” Bryan adds that his photo was taken quite a while […]
Version 4.0 of Wx24 Pilot App launches
A key feature of the new version 4.0 of Wx24 Pilot is the addition of cloud cover information provided by the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD). Although NDFD is not an aviation specific weather product, it does provide pilots with an important tool to access cloud information and the ability to make more informed judgments […]
wx24 Pilot App adds prognosis and significant weather charts
The wx24 Pilot aviation weather app has added prognosis and significant weather charts, which help fill in the details and provide context to Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs), according to developers. They also help complete the picture of enroute weather, including IFR and MVFR conditions, turbulence, and icing, which helps pilots make their go or no go […]
New quiz tests weather safety knowledge
Analyzing weather data can be a chore for general aviation pilots — and weather changes quickly, so pilots need to analyze a significant amount of data to make good safety choices before and during flights. The Wx24Pilot app focuses completely on aviation weather and represents a different way at looking at weather, according to its […]
Graphical forecasts to replace text-based forecasts Oct. 10
The transition to graphical forecasts for aviation (GFAs) for the continental U.S. is set to be complete Oct. 10, 2017, when the current textual area forecasts (FAs) will be discontinued. The move, in a transition phase since July, is expected to result in improved weather information from forecasters with the National Weather Service Aviation Weather […]
Summer weather hazards
By ED BROTAK With many people vacationing, summer is typically a busy time for aviation. Typically, flying weather is better in summer — if you avoid the thunderstorms I talked about in my last article. There are fewer “big” storms and fronts with widespread clouds, precipitation, and strong winds. But summer also brings a different […]
User-friendly graphical forecast goes live
In April 2017, the National Weather Service transitioned the Graphical Forecast for Aviation (GFA) from experimental to a live, operational product. The GFA should make interpreting the information easier, improving safety and efficiency, said John Kosak, weather project manager at the National Business Aviation Association’s Air Traffic Services. The expectation is that the GFA will replace the […]
The Thunderstorm Threat
By ED BROTAK With the onset of warmer weather, pilots face the increased risk of encountering thunderstorms. Although more common in the warmer months, thunderstorms can occur even in the winter, especially in the southern states. It’s estimated that 100,000 thunderstorms occur in the U.S. each year. Some locations in southwest Florida have 100 storms […]