Useful Links

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The following is some very useful links that can help you determine your flying conditions.

  1. Satellite images of clouds: SatelliteALinks to an external site., CompositeLinks to an external site., SatelliteBLinks to an external site.
  2. Regions of nice flying weather (VFR): Now & Forecast,Links to an external site. Composite*Links to an external site.
  3. Weather hazards overview map: Public OverviewLinks to an external site.,DetailsLinks to an external site.
  4. Turbulence: TurbulenceLinks to an external site.GFALinks to an external site.local GFALinks to an external site.
  5. Ceiling and visibility: GFALinks to an external site.,  local GFALinks to an external site.
  6. Wind and temperature at different flight altitudes: Upper AirLinks to an external site.FDLinks to an external site.
  7. Current-weather observations at airports : METAR-textLinks to an external site.
  8. Weather forecasts at airports : TAF-textLinks to an external site.

 nexsat-sample-sm.jpg

Photo credit: visible satellite photo, courtesy of the US Navy

All links above are meant to be used in Canada. I will go into details of some of the most important resources a pilot should use before their trip:

 

 

  • METAR-text ( Aviation Routine Weather Report) is important to use because they are reported every hour, routinely.  Therefore pilots use METARs to learn the current observed weather at their departure airport, destination airport, and other airports near the flight track.  METARs are text (not graphics) that are coded using acronyms, abbreviations, and special formats.  Pilots can access these observations by computer or mobile phone while on the ground and can get it during flight by using the radio to talk to air traffic controllers and flight service station specialists on the ground.

 

  • TAF-text  (Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts ) are forecasts of the future weather, produced by meteorologists using sophisticated computer simulations of the atmosphere.  Pilots can access these text-format TAFs the same way that they get METARs.   These are also coded using special acronyms and formats. 

 

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