Help - Understanding weather settings in PSX...

[vnangli]

This is from a Flight simulator enthusiast....

I was exploring the weather settings (under SIMULATOR HANDLING section of the AEROWINX manual).
For e.g. lets say I have "focussed" my position to KORD (O'hare international) and my internet is "Off", I am looking for help to understand the questions below (only regarding the Cloud settings) :

1) What do "1" or "2" or "3" /8 mean/do/perform in the first or second "Clouds" window/value settings option?

2) For e.g. lets say for "1"/8, I enter values for the "TOP" and "BASE" for the Clouds. I understand I am defining the cloud layer with the height of the base and the overall height of the cloud layer. Now, will I be able to define different cloud layer values for "2"/8? And how do I switch between "1"/8 and "2"/8?

I am sure, I may not have explained my questions well. But, I am basically trying to understand the WEATHER settings option under SIMULATOR HANDLING section of the manual. Play around with the values for Clouds and notice the effects on WXR in my ND.

Thanks
Vijay

[Hardy Heinlin]

1/4 = FEW (few clouds)
2/4 = SCT (scattered clouds)
3/4 = BKN (broken coverage)
4/4 = OVC (overcast, full coverage)

The 3-letter words are the related shortcuts in METAR texts.

The weather radar in PSX shows the respective coverage effects. The windshield view, however, is simplified and is always covered when the aircraft is within a cloud layer.


Regards,

|-|ardy

[Will]

Just to add the obvious: 1/8 means "one eighth of the sky (which is 12%) is obscured by cloud."

8/8 means "eight eighths of the sky (which is 100%) is obscured by cloud."

Measuring cloud cover in eighths is an old custom.

[cagarini]

Sky Conditions:   

NSC - No clouds bellow 5000' and no TCu or Cb
FEW – Few cloud layer 0/8ths to 2/8ths
SCT – Scattered cloud layer 3/8ths to 4/8ths
BKN – Broken cloud layer 5/8ths to 7/8ths
OVC – Overcast cloud layer 8/8ths coverage
CB – Cumulonimbus




SKC – Sky Clear
TCU – Towering Cumulus

[vnangli]

Thank you all for the help...You have given enough leads to explore this in detail.

In the weather options, the cloud height I enter in the fields right below TURBULENCE options defines the height of clouds within which the TURBULENCE level exists.  Is this right?

[Hardy Heinlin]

No, the turbulence layer is an extra layer independent of any cloud layer.

The other layer is a CB layer. CBs include their own, CB specific turbulence.

[vnangli]

Got it...