Sunday, November 9, 2014

Where to get Weather Information for Flying in Georgia

Where do we get weather information when flying in Georgia? Over time, we found the following the most useful resources. 

Meteoblue.com, which in my personal estimate is 80% right. Sometimes it misses details by 20%, so wind is not entirely strong enough for soaring, or the wind change happens a few hours earlier than predicted. But on balance it's proven fairly reliable. (Disclosure: my brother works there, so this assessment is not independent -- but conversely I can say I spent quite a few years watching the service, in flying, windsurfing and kiting).

YR.no - Norwegian weather service. Some paragliders use both YR and Meteoblue and believe that if both agree, then this really is the final & best weather forecast.  

Tbilisi Airport Information: ATIS: 132.8 MHz, with hourly updates. Almost always accurate. The highest recorded windspeed at TBS airport that allowed us to still fly in Rustavi was 12 knots, but that was borderline. Above 5 knots per hour from the Southeast is typically promising for the Tbilisi Sea flying site. Occasionally the online service, here, lags. 

Always watch out for lenticular clouds, as a sudden increase in windspeed (once more than doubling in 45 minutes) can be a bit unwelcome when in the air. 

Any other suggestions? Let us know.