To start assessing the weather, you will need to acquire the relevant information. One of the best places to find the current and forecasted data is the internet. There are hundreds of weather focused websites that cover everything from the jet stream, isobars, winds aloft, surface winds etc. There are even pages that focus their weather forecasts specifically for glider pilots, giving you information, that you can’t get anywhere else. The problem with the internet is that there is so much information it is hard to know exactly what to get and where to find it. Your instructor or local pilots will be able to tell you what websites to check for the area you plan to be flying in.
Aside from the internet you may also use Flight Weather Service which is a public service designed for small plane pilots, but is suitable for us as well. You will talk to a flight briefer who has access to a great deal of information and can help you generate a concise report in a few minutes. They may also tell you if there are any airspace restrictions or advisories such as closures due to fire, or military operations. The number (1-800-WX-BRIEF) is toll free anywhere in the United States and your call will be routed to the nearest flight service station. The flight briefers are accustomed to talking to professional pilots, so when you call it’s a good idea to have written down exactly what you want to ask. You will also need to give them your last name as your pilot identification.
Weather band radio (NOAA) is good for getting updates on localized surface conditions and active advisories. This is a good source for current information, but it is not very useful for forecasting. A 2-meter radio is usually capable of picking up the NOAA station. Local instructors should have the frequency for your station.
Local weather stations will have general weather information and forecasts, but you will want more detailed and up to the minute data. The Weather Channel is usually of little use - “It will be sunny and warm in California” is not detailed enough.
Some of the most commonly used websites for wind and weather information are:
- www.weather.gov
- www.wunderground.com
- www.windy.com
- www.weather.com
- www.xcskies.com - This site is a paid site specifically for pilots. The information can be overwhelming, so look at it closely with someone who has a subscription to decide if it is something you are willing to spend money on.
Now that smartphones have become so commonplace, there are more and more apps coming out every day that provide wind readings and forecasts, site specific weather info, frontal maps, storm info, and the list goes on. Most will offer real time data from local weather stations - these are usually your best indication of the current conditions. Some apps to look at include:
- Wunderground
- Windy - there are two apps with this name and both are good.
- WindAlert
- Storm - NOAA Weather
- Windfinder
- The Weather Channel
- SailFlow