Indicate model terrain height and faq on atmospheric levels

[drmatt]

Hi. I've looked through the FAQ but cannot seem to find a clear answer to how atmospheric levels relate to model terrain height. For instance, in a large mountain range, the averaged elevation of the 9 km grid cell of the DEM may be 4000 ft. If I want to know the predict wind speed at the surface here, do I look at the Surface value or the 4000 ft value? Similarly, if the cloud bases are predicted to be 4000 feet here, does this mean 4000 feet above the 4000 foot elevation, or does this mean the clouds are at the surface? If it does, how do I physically interpret data from atmospheric levels that are below model terrain level, since they clearly show dynamics here. And if the atmospheric levels are relative to model terrain surfaces, how do I interpret or visualize how winds at 14,000 foot atmospheric level intersect a 18,000 foot mountain?

I'm sure this question has been asked before, so please point me towards the answer if it is here somewhere. And again the question is not about the impact of the difference between model terrain and actual terrain, but rather how to interpret the atmospheric height levels relative to model terrain.

I think in any case, as something for your large the suggestion box, I think it it would be handy for the user to know the DEM's elevation, perhaps with a tool tip, or a check box that makes it appear on meteograms, or simply a colored overlay on the map window. The app is so awesome this feature is probably here already and I'm missing is, so I apologize if so!

Thanks!

[Gkikas LGPZ]

@drmatt

Some related posts:
https://community.windy.com/topic/4513/what-elevation-for-spot-forecasts

https://community.windy.com/topic/5674/terrain-effects

https://community.windy.com/topic/4219/terrain-height-v-s-forecast-height

Vertical structure of the grid points in a model:
upper levels are close to the pressure coordinate
while lower levels are terrain-following.

Source: http://www.hko.gov.hk/wservice/tsheet/nwp.htm

For further reading:
ICON model
https://www.dwd.de/SharedDocs/downloads/DE/modelldokumentationen/nwv/icon/icon_dbbeschr_aktuell.html

ECMWF model, forecast user guide:
https://software.ecmwf.int/wiki/display/FUG/Forecast+User+Guide

P.S. I agree with you that windy must appear model's orography on meteograms (in the "about location" section).
e.g. for Bern, Switzerland