I'm looking for a tool that forecasts cloud bases and tops for a route
of flight. I use http://adds.aviationweather.gov to approximate this
by viewing the freezing levels, icing potential, pireps, etc., but it
seems with all our modern satellite and radar products as well as
weather service data collection balloons, there should be technology
that could give a profile view of the layers for a route of flight.

Anyone know of one?

Thanks!
David

David ) wrote:

> I'm looking for a tool that forecasts cloud bases and tops for a route
> of flight. I use http://adds.aviationweather.gov to approximate this
> by viewing the freezing levels, icing potential, pireps, etc., but it
> seems with all our modern satellite and radar products as well as
> weather service data collection balloons, there should be technology
> that could give a profile view of the layers for a route of flight.
>
> Anyone know of one?

I use DUATS' Synopsis portion of the Standard Briefing, found at the top
of the briefing output. This contains layer and tops estimates.

www.duats.com

--
Peter

David wrote:
> I'm looking for a tool that forecasts cloud bases and tops for a route
> of flight. I use http://adds.aviationweather.gov to approximate this
> by viewing the freezing levels, icing potential, pireps, etc., but it
> seems with all our modern satellite and radar products as well as
> weather service data collection balloons, there should be technology
> that could give a profile view of the layers for a route of flight.

I think the difficulty with automating this is the paucity of data. The
estimated tops in the NWS area forecast aren't specific enough. The only good
source of tops is pireps, and there aren't enough.

> I'm looking for a tool that forecasts cloud bases and tops for a route
> of flight. I use http://adds.aviationweather.gov to approximate this
> by viewing the freezing levels, icing potential, pireps, etc., but it
> seems with all our modern satellite and radar products as well as
> weather service data collection balloons, there should be technology
> that could give a profile view of the layers for a route of flight.
>
> Anyone know of one?
>
> Thanks!
> David

This site will give you current tops of visible moisture discernable with
radar.

Gordon

http://aviationweather.gov/obs/radar/radarpu.html

"Peter R." > wrote in message
...
> David ) wrote:
>
>
> I use DUATS' Synopsis portion of the Standard Briefing, found at the top
> of the briefing output. This contains layer and tops estimates.
>

To be a little more precise, it is in the VFR Clouds and Weather section of
the Area Forecast (FA), which is included in a DUAT or DUATS Standard
Briefing. An FA also includes a Synopsis section, but that is not where the
tops info is.

http://aviationweather.gov/products/fa/info.shtml for a description of the
FA product.

A FSS standard briefing includes a Synopsis section which includes
information extracted from the FA. Usually, in my experience, briefers do
not include tops in the briefing unless requested, and some don't even know
where to get that info when asked.

Stan