Cloud Tops

[GaryP1007]

Other than a PIREP or getting info from ATC what tools do you use to determine cloud tops when prepping for XC travel?


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[MtPJimB]

Skew-T charts.

 

[FORANE]

Aviation weather center pirep Web page is what I use.

 

[Morgan3820]

The SkewTPro app on my I phone. Also if you look hard in aviationweather.com, it has tops info

 

[midlifeflyer]

Skew-T charts.

Probably the easiest part of the Skew T to understand. Look for where the temperature and dew point lines diverge to a point where the spread is wider.

 

[midwestpa24]

This is still kind of experimental, but I've seen decent results using it.

https://aviationweather.gov/gfa

I have it on good authority that the NWS and FAA are working on a legit way to issue actual cloud top reports using the new weather satellites that have been put in orbit.

 

[SethV]

Skew T and Windy for an overall picture for long XC.

 

[GaryP1007]

Thanks. I see just how easy it is now. Much appreciated.


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[Rockymountain]

The weather center GFA is pretty inaccurate. Would definitely double check with other sources until that product gets a little better. I miss the FA (aviation forecast, which was accurate)

 

[mscard88]

Mark IV Eyeball.

 

[kc4wsd]

@mscard88 don't forget this . . .

 

[mscard88]

@mscard88 don't forget this . . .

Mines bigger than yours!

Goes to 100'!

 

[kc4wsd]

Mines bigger than yours!

Goes to 100'!

I carry mine on my belt for work every day . . . if I tried that with yours, I'd need to put wheels on it!!

Back on topic . . . why don't developers make the same neat apps for us 'Driod users as they do for the iCrowd?

 

[AggieMike88]

why don't developers make the same neat apps for us 'Driod users as they do for the iCrowd?

Weatherspork works on both platforms.

 

[midlifeflyer]

I carry mine on my belt for work every day . . . if I tried that with yours, I'd need to put wheels on it!!

Back on topic . . . why don't developers make the same neat apps for us 'Driod users as they do for the iCrowd?

The answer usually given is that the development environments are different. It's not a simple thing to write for both. For those who choose iOS, there's also an issue with there being only one iOS compared to more than a dozen flavors of Android.

 

[eman1200]

. . . why don't developers make the same neat apps for us 'Driod users as they do for the iCrowd?

plenty of free apps available. now if you want to pay for misinformation...…….

 

[kc4wsd]

plenty of free apps available. now if you want to pay for misinformation...…….

No thanks . . . I prefer accuracy.

Quality beats quantity any day!

 

[kc4wsd]

Weatherspork works on both platforms.

Just downloaded this app. Looks like lots of helpful info. Thanks!

 

[Ben2k9]

Not what you asked, but There is an in flight app I recently discovered called cloud topper, that helps measure how high a cloud top is that is visible, but I haven’t figured out yet if it’s useful or not or how to use it well

 

[BigBadLou]

Skew-T charts.

^^^^ THAT

Great resource for a lot of information. Easy to learn if you take baby steps (they do look complicated and intimidating).

 

[Clip4]

Cloud Coverage Forecast Charts included in your online 800wxbrief.

 

[asicer]

Other than a PIREP or getting info from ATC what tools do you use to determine cloud tops when prepping for XC travel?

My altimeter. Whenever anyone asks, tops are always 1000 lower.


Kidding!

 

[Stephen Shore]

Skew T charts and weatherspork.com.

Weatherspork has skew T charts but l like to access through NWS web page.

 

[luvflyin]

Just marking the thread so I can find it later.

 

[TommyG]

Other than a PIREP or getting info from ATC what tools do you use to determine cloud tops when prepping for XC travel?


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The purée is only useful when pilots give the tops. They love to give the bases, so can atis, awos. But pireps on tops are scarce. I think those are a hell of a lot more useful than a base pirep.

 

[AggieMike88]

The purée is only useful when pilots give the tops

We have another victim of rampant autocorrect.

 

[Radar Contact]

Other than a PIREP or getting info from ATC what tools do you use to determine cloud tops when prepping for XC travel?


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As others have mentioned, I look at the GFA tool at aviationweather. I am surprised how right on it can be many times and how very off it is others. I'm sure it will only get better.

 

[bobmrg]

The weather center GFA is pretty inaccurate. Would definitely double check with other sources until that product gets a little better. I miss the FA (aviation forecast, which was accurate).

You are saying that a forecast is always accurate? Are you being paid off by theNWS?

Bob

 

[NealRomeoGolf]

The only sure way is to become familiar with IR satellite images. Once you know the cloud top temperature, you usually can determine the cloud top height (+/- 3000 ft). In WeatherSpork we have a fairly good cloud tops height forecast that goes out 18 hours and it's updated hourly.

View attachment 65940

I have downloaded Weatherspork but not really looked it over. Do you cover US only or also other continents?

 

[Shepherd]

As with everything government weather, it's a nice resource, but don't bet your life on it.

 

[midlifeflyer]

That works pretty well for warmer stratiform clouds, not so good for cold stratiform clouds and definitely not cumuliform clouds.

Absolutely! It's one of the reasons I prefer the NWS Skew-T to most of the apps out there which don't allow for visually plotting the parcel line. Particularly in the summer, I want to see that.

 

[Tantalum]

I haven't good luck finding tools that are good at predicting cloud tops. Have tried many different tools but at least in my luck and where I've flown they seem merely suggestive of where the clouds tops *could* be

don't forget this . . .

why's there a pencil mark at 3 inches?

 

[Paulie]

Pireps.

 

[kc4wsd]

why's there a pencil mark at 3 inches?

I was always told to measure twice . . .

 

[Sundancer]

If there aren't any T-storms, and no icing, then I pretty much don't care. . .in a 172, if there are T-Storms or icing, I'm not heading to the tops anyway.

 

[Ben2k9]

Right now it's only the U.S. We will eventually expand the app to support Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean before we move into Europe (we show METARs for Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean).

FWIW, I downloaded app and don’t think a 7 day free trial was enough time to get a feel for whether I wanted to become a paying subscriber. I only flew one time during that week and so only tried it out once. 30 days trial would be better. If I used it over the course of a month I might decide I can’t live without it. As of now, it looks interesting but I don’t have enough info to pull the trigger and subscribe. Not clear to me after one use whether it added more value than the free resources out there. Just my 2 cents

 

[Hunter]

How much is it after the 7/14 day free trial?

 

[AggieMike88]

How much is it after the 7/14 day free trial?

Less than the basic ForeFlight subscription...

Head to http://weatherspork.com/ and click the pricing link.

For the price, you are getting much more than an app that combines a bunch of aviation weather data into an quickly digestible product. Your getting lots of weather education and access to Scott's main site, www.avwxworkshops.com and a discount on any of his premium workshops and live events.