‘Cloud base’ criteria
-
Hi, I notice that the ‘cloud base’ coverage can be green, suggesting 5000 feet or more, when the ‘low cloud’ coverage can be overcast in the same region. How does this work - ie. what criteria is used to define ‘low cloud’? L
-
Hi, the standard Cloud base [cbase] overlay in Windy is not one of Windy's better overlays. The 'criteria' are revealed in its very simplistic (and not very useful) display settings which are these:
As you can see the color variation is not helpful or logical and the increments used are also pretty terrible for meaningfully informing a VFR pilot of cloud base forecasts and the changes. It really only provides mildly useful information below 4,900 ft as everything from 4,900 to 26,200 ft is just shades of the same green-grey color - that's really not helpful.
So I created a much more detailed, fully linear (forecast display increment is accurate to +/-100ft) custom overlay with which to completely replace the standard one, which works very informatively and logically from 0 ft to 18,000 ft. As you will see, there's a massive difference in useful intelligible detail shown. The legend for this custom overlay is shown below, so have a good look at the comparison images with reference to this legend classification to interpret. The colors shade progressively and linearly in between these given color = altitude increments.
Here are some examples to contrast the differences:
Europe
USA
Instructions on how to install this custom Cloud base overlay in Windy:
Directions to install a new custom overlay using the Browser version of Windy
-
Press “Menu” icon on main screen (see top left corner).
Go to the “Settings” Tab. -
Go to “Customize Color Scale” option (near the bottom).
-
Select the relevant overlay title from the “Select Overlay” drop-down list.
-
Use the scroll bar to go down to the bottom of that tab's display.
-
Press on text Import/Export: [View Code], which then opens a small text box below it.
-
Select all of the existing text within that text box then delete it.
-
Then copy and paste the new custom text settings from this thread (as given below) and paste the full code text into the text box.
-
Then press [Import] ... and the new display will appear on the right side of the screen within a few seconds as it loads.
-
Exit the editor with the red 'X' button on its side. This will save the custom setting to your personal log-on account.
Repeat the process for each custom overlay which you want to install.
Note: That the custom overlays can only be installed within the browser version of Windy and are not able to be altered using the smartphone App version of Windy. You must use a full browser installed on your smartphone, tablet or PC to install these custom Windy overlays. However, once done the custom overlays will then also display within the App versions of Windy. Note also that if you clear the Windy cookies and cache files in your browser you may need to reinstall the overlays once again. And if you want to revert to the old setting just press the Load defaults button.
Here is the setting that you'll need to install to get this custom Cloud bases overlay into Windy's web browser version. Highlight all of the text within the box below and copy n' paste it all in as described in the instructions above.
[[0,[128,128,128,256]], [0.3,[256,16,0,256]], [30.48,[256,17.12,0.6,256]], [60.96,[253.4,18.24,1.2,256]], [91.44,[250.8,19.36,3.8,256]], [121.92,[248.2,20.48,6.4,256]], [152.4,[245.6,21.6,9,256]], [182.88,[243,22.72,11.6,256]], [213.36,[240.4,23.84,14.2,256]], [243.84,[237.8,24.96,16.8,256]], [274.32,[235.2,26.08,19.4,256]], [304.8,[232.6,27.2,22,256]], [335.28,[230,28.32,24.6,256]], [365.76,[227.4,29.44,27.2,256]], [396.24,[224.8,30.56,29.8,256]], [426.72,[222.2,31.68,32.4,256]], [457.2,[219.6,32.8,35,256]], [487.68,[217,33.92,37.6,256]], [518.16,[214.4,35.04,40.2,256]], [548.64,[211.8,36.16,42.8,256]], [579.12,[209.2,37.28,45.4,256]], [609.6,[206.6,38.4,48,256]], [640.08,[204,39.52,50.6,256]], [670.56,[201.4,40.64,53.2,256]], [701.04,[198.8,41.76,55.8,256]], [731.52,[196.2,42.88,58.4,256]], [762,[193.6,44,61,256]], [792.48,[191,45.12,63.6,256]], [822.96,[188.4,46.24,66.2,256]], [853.44,[185.8,47.36,68.8,256]], [883.92,[183.2,48.48,71.4,256]], [914.4,[180.6,49.6,74,256]], [944.88,[178,50.72,76.6,256]], [975.36,[175.4,51.84,79.2,256]], [1005.84,[172.8,52.96,81.8,256]], [1036.32,[170.2,54.08,84.4,256]], [1066.8,[167.6,55.2,87,256]], [1097.28,[165,56.32,89.6,256]], [1127.76,[162.4,57.44,92.2,256]], [1158.24,[159.8,58.56,94.8,256]], [1188.72,[157.2,59.68,97.4,256]], [1219.2,[154.6,60.8,100,256]], [1249.68,[152,61.92,102.6,256]], [1280.16,[149.4,63.04,105.2,256]], [1310.64,[146.8,64.16,107.8,256]], [1341.12,[144.2,65.28,110.4,256]], [1371.6,[141.6,66.4,113,256]], [1402.08,[139,67.52,115.6,256]], [1432.56,[136.4,68.64,118.2,256]], [1463.04,[133.8,69.76,120.8,256]], [1493.52,[131.2,70.88,123.4,256]], [1524,[128.6,72,126,256]], [1554.48,[126,73.12,128.6,256]], [1584.96,[123.4,74.24,131.2,256]], [1615.44,[120.8,75.36,133.8,256]], [1645.92,[118.2,76.48,136.4,256]], [1676.4,[115.6,77.6,139,256]], [1706.88,[113,78.72,141.6,256]], [1737.36,[110.4,79.84,144.2,256]], [1767.84,[107.8,80.96,146.8,256]], [1798.32,[105.2,82.08,149.4,256]], [1828.8,[102.6,83.2,152,256]], [1859.28,[100,84.32,154.6,256]], [1889.76,[97.4,85.44,157.2,256]], [1920.24,[94.8,86.56,159.8,256]], [1950.72,[92.2,87.68,162.4,256]], [1981.2,[89.6,88.8,165,256]], [2011.68,[87,89.92,167.6,256]], [2042.16,[84.4,91.04,170.2,256]], [2072.64,[81.8,92.16,172.8,256]], [2103.12,[79.2,93.28,175.4,256]], [2133.6,[76.6,94.4,178,256]], [2164.08,[74,95.52,180.6,256]], [2194.56,[71.4,96.64,183.2,256]], [2225.04,[68.8,97.76,185.8,256]], [2255.52,[66.2,98.88,188.4,256]], [2286,[63.6,100,191,256]], [2316.48,[61,101.12,193.6,256]], [2346.96,[58.4,102.24,196.2,256]], [2377.44,[55.8,103.36,198.8,256]], [2407.92,[53.2,104.48,201.4,256]], [2438.4,[50.6,105.6,204,256]], [2468.88,[48,106.72,206.6,256]], [2499.36,[45.4,107.84,209.2,256]], [2529.84,[42.8,108.96,211.8,256]], [2560.32,[40.2,110.08,214.4,256]], [2590.8,[37.6,111.2,217,256]], [2621.28,[35,112.32,219.6,256]], [2651.76,[32.4,113.44,222.2,256]], [2682.24,[29.8,114.56,224.8,256]], [2712.72,[27.2,115.68,227.4,256]], [2743.2,[24.6,116.8,230,256]], [2773.68,[22,117.92,232.6,256]], [2804.16,[19.4,119.04,235.2,256]], [2834.64,[16.8,120.16,237.8,256]], [2865.12,[14.2,121.28,240.4,256]], [2895.6,[11.6,122.4,243,256]], [2926.08,[9,123.52,245.6,256]], [2956.56,[6.4,124.64,248.2,256]], [2987.04,[3.8,125.76,250.8,256]], [3017.52,[1.2,126.88,253.4,256]], [3048,[0,128,256,256]], [3078.48,[0,129.6,253.4,256]], [3108.96,[0,131.2,250.8,256]], [3139.44,[0,132.8,248.2,256]], [3169.92,[0,134.4,245.6,256]], [3200.4,[0,136,243,256]], [3230.88,[0,137.6,240.4,256]], [3261.36,[0,139.2,237.8,256]], [3291.84,[0,140.8,235.2,256]], [3322.32,[0,142.4,232.6,256]], [3352.8,[0,144,230,256]], [3383.28,[0,145.6,227.4,256]], [3413.76,[0,147.2,224.8,256]], [3444.24,[0,148.8,222.2,256]], [3474.72,[0,150.4,219.6,256]], [3505.2,[0,152,217,256]], [3535.68,[0,153.6,214.4,256]], [3566.16,[0,155.2,211.8,256]], [3596.64,[0,156.8,209.2,256]], [3627.12,[0,158.4,206.6,256]], [3657.6,[0,160,204,256]], [3688.08,[0,161.6,201.4,256]], [3718.56,[0,163.2,198.8,256]], [3749.04,[0,164.8,196.2,256]], [3779.52,[0,166.4,193.6,256]], [3810,[0,168,191,256]], [3840.48,[0,169.6,188.4,256]], [3870.96,[0,171.2,185.8,256]], [3901.44,[0,172.8,183.2,256]], [3931.92,[0,174.4,180.6,256]], [3962.4,[0,176,178,256]], [3992.88,[0,177.6,175.4,256]], [4023.36,[0,179.2,172.8,256]], [4053.84,[0,180.8,170.2,256]], [4084.32,[0,182.4,167.6,256]], [4114.8,[0,184,165,256]], [4145.28,[0,185.6,162.4,256]], [4175.76,[0,187.2,159.8,256]], [4206.24,[0,188.8,157.2,256]], [4236.72,[0,190.4,154.6,256]], [4267.2,[0,192,152,256]], [4297.68,[0,193.6,149.4,256]], [4328.16,[0,195.2,146.8,256]], [4358.64,[0,196.8,144.2,256]], [4389.12,[0,198.4,141.6,256]], [4419.6,[0,200,139,256]], [4450.08,[0,201.6,136.4,256]], [4480.56,[0,203.2,133.8,256]], [4511.04,[0,204.8,131.2,256]], [4541.52,[0,206.4,128.6,256]], [4572,[0,208,126,256]], [4602.48,[0,209.6,123.4,256]], [4632.96,[0,211.2,120.8,256]], [4663.44,[0,212.8,118.2,256]], [4693.92,[0,214.4,115.6,256]], [4724.4,[0,216,113,256]], [4754.88,[0,217.6,110.4,256]], [4785.36,[0,219.2,107.8,256]], [4815.84,[0,220.8,105.2,256]], [4846.32,[0,222.4,102.6,256]], [4876.8,[0,224,100,256]], [4907.28,[0,225.6,97.4,256]], [4937.76,[0,227.2,94.8,256]], [4968.24,[0,228.8,92.2,256]], [4998.72,[0,230.4,89.6,256]], [5029.2,[0,232,87,256]], [5059.68,[0,233.6,84.4,256]], [5090.16,[0,235.2,81.8,256]], [5120.64,[0,236.8,79.2,256]], [5151.12,[0,238.4,76.6,256]], [5181.6,[0,240,74,256]], [5212.08,[0,241.6,71.4,256]], [5242.56,[0,243.2,68.8,256]], [5273.04,[0,244.8,66.2,256]], [5303.52,[0,246.4,63.6,256]], [5334,[0,248,61,256]], [5364.48,[0,249.6,58.4,256]], [5394.96,[0,251.2,55.8,256]], [5425.44,[0,252.8,53.2,256]], [5455.92,[0,254.4,50.6,256]], [5486.4,[0,256,48,256]], [5516.88,[168,168,168,256]], [5547.36,[128,128,128,256]]]
These settings will only show in Windy if you've logged-in to Windy.
There are many very detailed custom overlays for Windy that you can install within the thread linked below, I've created new and very detailed overlays for all of Windy's overlay types, and they're all stored within the first two-pages of this thread:
https://community.windy.com/post/19249
I've also made a Cloud tops overlay, which uses the same color scheme as this Cloud Bases one, with the same altitude divisions, so you don't have to learn two completely different overlay layouts in order to understand them both.
Edited: To improve instructions.
I released a new Cloud base overlay setting here (17th May 2019):
https://community.windy.com/post/22579 -