Meteogram wind speed doesn't reflect location altitude

ondrejspilka723

I see some issue with meteogram wind strength.
Look at the sample, at 2700 AMSL wind is 17m/s.
But meteogram for the spot shows 4m/s, which is for 1000hPa theoretical height (underground).

I clicked on the spot on map to get prediction for it's location and altitude.

So, in my opinion, meteogram, doesn't reflect altitude, so it provides highly inaccurate predictions. Especially for paragliding pilots it is super important to consider wind strength at takeoff altitude.

It is pretty tricky and the only way how to get strength for altitude is use Airgram or Wind layer at height.

I believe this shall be fixed as it leaves quite a lot of space for misleading user.

Easily replicable - choose any spot at significant height in stronger wind area.

ondrejspilka723

@ondrejspilka723 EDIT - just precised title...

idefix37

@ondrejspilka723
There is no issue, no bug, nothing to fix there.
Meteogram shows the forecast at ground level (at 10 meters height ), at the location altitude.
The wind speed displayed on the map when you set the Altitude slider at 2000 hPa for instance, is in free atmosphere, not near the ground.
You might consider this to be an approximation, but all weather models works like that. This is NOT an error made by Windy.

ondrejspilka723

Hi @idefix37,

thanks for explanation, now I understand the issue with wind at ground level at 10m height. Truly you're right, most models do use the some extrapolation,
ECMWF for reference https://confluence.ecmwf.int/display/FUG/9.3+Surface+Wind

However, even ECMWF admits there're issues with 10m ground levels (see the article). Especially we will experience high inaccuracy for higher altitudes, stronger winds or complex orographies.

As base meteogram is a tool of daily use (as a pilot I check before I go hills to fly, for tourism in mountains the same, before I go ridge hike I check wind), would it make sense to extend meteogram and show wind at altitude?

People can really misjudge situation based only on 10m extrapolated ground wind.

Thanks for answer!

idefix37

@ondrejspilka723 said in Meteogram wind speed doesn't reflect location altitude:

However, even ECMWF admits there're issues with 10m ground levels (see the article). Especially we will experience high inaccuracy for higher altitudes, stronger winds or complex orographies.

For mountainous areas, it is important to use a high resolution model if available where you are living.
A 9km resolution model like ECMWF model cannot perform in mountain. And worse, the orography model which gives to the weather model the terrain details is very coarse.

In the Meteogram, try Meteoblue which provides good forecast in mountain. It is available only at point forecast, but it includes a good correction of inaccuracies due to the altitude.

would it make sense to extend meteogram and show wind at altitude?

This is available with Airgram, useful for flying.