Have you noticed a few changes in Windy? That's because we've released version 39, which introduces features to make Windy easier to use when you know how to use it. Therefore, we are providing a summary to make things easier for you.

Pin your favorite layers

We understand that not everyone uses 50 layers on Windy. That's why we've made your job easier, and now you can pin your favorite layers to have them at hand. Valid for both classic layers and items in "Display on map" section (webcams, airports, weather stations, etc.)

How to:

1. Go to the menu on your mobile
2. Hold your finger long on the layer or POI you want to pin
3. Your layers/POIs are now available under the PIN icon

Explore the new, better, more powerful picker

The Picker is the centerpiece of the application in the new version of Windy. And that's why it has new features that will make Windy easier to use.

With the change of the picker, the positions of some instruments have changed. When you place the picker anywhere on the map, you can view the Detailed Forecast, Distance and planning, or the nearest Sounding measurement for a specific location in the picker menu on top (see the picture below).

What the new picker can do

• Preview items like webcams, airports, surf spots, weather stations, radiation stations, etc.
• Quickly update detailed forecasts when the picker changes position
• Show nearest Sounding measurements
• Work better for measurements and route planning (more on that below)

Set the Weather picker timer

The new Weather picker can either disappear from the map after a few seconds or it can be present permanently with the "Always on" option. You can decide what suits you the best in the settings:

1. Open Settings
2. Scroll to Autoclose the weather picker in:
3. Choose available intervals 3 sec, 6 sec, 9 sec, 12 sec or Always on.

Immerse yourself in route planning. Now in the app

Route planer is a beloved feature, especially among pilots, sailors, or hikers.

1. Place the picker where the route begins
2. Click on "Distance and planning" in the top bar.
3. Scroll to other checkpoints and click on "Add waypoint"
4. At the last waypoint, click on "End measurement"
5. Choose how you want to complete the journey. Choose between airplane (VFR or IFR), boat, walking, or driving.
6. On the timeline, select the time you will start and, on the bottom left, your speed.

If you plan to go later, you can save the route to your favorites on the bottom right, where you can find it later (by clicking on your profile photo).

We're listening to feedback. Leave us a comment

If you've been using the new version for a few days, let us know what you think. We'd love you to add pictures and specific things and go in-depth with your feedback.

The new version of Windy changes the way you navigate Windy. We know the changes are challenging, but we hope that after a few days, you'll get used to it and love the new version for its simplicity.

What's new

We can't ignore that the weather radar is one of the most popular features of Windy. That's why we have invested time and resources in new radar sources covering the Alps. Traveling to the Alps? You'll love this new upgrade.

Thanks to new sources from Austria and Switzerland, we'll cover the vast majority of the Alps with better data (resolution 1 km, refresh rate 5 minutes). Watch the animation to see what it means to have better data.

Why is it so important?

The Alps are home not only to the inhabitants of the Alpine countries but also to athletes and mountain sports enthusiasts, not to mention the pilots who fly over the Alps. They can all see the difference today. Just check the Before/After. Having good radar coverage of the Alps can make a big difference in reality.

Also, it's not easy to cover the Alps with the high rock massifs and the peaks, but together with your support and the great infrastructure of Swiss and Austrian met services, we made it possible on Windy.

Even more impressive with Premium

1-hour weather radar remains free. If you want to see the new, improved radar in 6-hour and 12-hour recording, go for Windy Premium for only €18.99 per year (appx. €1.6 /month).

https://www.windy.com/-Weather-radar-radar?radar,46.543,12.713,7,internal

Team Windy hasn't slept through the summer either, bringing you another new layer to help prevent fires. We worked with CzechGlobe on the new layer, just as we did on the drought layers earlier.

Why we come up with Fire Danger layer

Canada, Greece, Australia, and many other countries struggle with wildfires on a regular basis. Even though we can't put out fires, we're going into battle with a new layer we call Fire Danger. The layer will help rescue teams but also ordinary people to prevent the risk of fire or its further spread. The layer is currently displayed in the background of this article

It's super useful, simple, and it's free.

What does the new layer do?

Fire Danger is actually two layers, each showing something different. The Fire Spread layer shows the likelihood of a fire spreading based on several metrics, from which a complex model for the whole world is pieced together. The risks are divided into six categories: Very low to Extreme.

The second layer is Fire Ignition, which shows the moisture in the fuel. The lower the moisture in the fuel, the higher the chance of a fire. In layman's terms, if it hasn't rained for a long time and the ground is dry, the risk of a fire is much higher.

Both layers show a 10-day forecast. And while we hope to use them globally, we still want them to be needed as little as possible.

Where to find the new layers in Windy

The new layer is in the main menu as "Fire danger". Remember that as of Windy 39, you can pin your favorite layers to the quick pin menu. Just long tap on any layer in the menu.

Get a new layer into the world

Fire Danger is completely free. If you'd like to help us in any way, please share information about the new layer with your friends and the media.

Support us by buying Windy Premium

Premium features take you one step further, making you ready when your big day comes. Whether you're an athlete, pilot, sailor, or weather enthusiast. Go Premium now

https://www.windy.com/-Fire-spread-fwi?fwi,39.139,-103.524,6,internal

Update: Sunday, 20th of August, 6:00 pm UTC

Hilary (now Tropical Strom category) has arrived on the coast bringing heavy rains that are likely to cause flash, life-threatening flooding. Warnings have been issued for the southwest coast. These conditions are extremely exceptional for this area.

Track Hurricane Hilary with ➡️ the Hurricane Tracker

Update: Saturday, 19th of August, 9:00 pm UTC

Hurricane Hilary, currently a category 3 storm, is predicted to deliver heavy rain to the SW US and the Baja California Peninsula. This could lead to catastrophic flooding and mudslides starting today.

Note: Windy.com images can be freely distributed. When sharing, please credit the source or tag Windy.com in your post or article.

Update: Saturday, 19th of August, 5:00 am UTC

The hurricane is keeping the cat. 4, and could bring potentially catastrophic flooding to Baja California, as well as the southwestern U.S. this weekend and early next.

Track Hurricane Hilary with ➡️ the Hurricane Tracker

Note: Windy.com images can be freely distributed. When sharing, please credit the source or tag Windy.com in your post or article.

Update: Thursday, 18th of August, 7:00 am UTC

Hurricane Hilary has quickly moved to a Category 4 on the Saffi-Simpson scale and continues to track towards northern Baja California and southern California. The hurricane will bring not only strong winds and swells, but also heavy rains that could cause flooding not only in the locations mentioned but across much of the southwestern United States.

Note: Windy.com images can be freely distributed. When sharing, please credit the source or tag Windy.com in your post or article.

Original text: Thursday, 17th of August, 6:00 am UTC

Tropical Storm Hilary is forming in an unlikely location and could reach hurricane Category 3 (based on NHC-EP) at its peak on the weekend, bringing heavy rains, winds, and swells to the Baja California coast and possibly Southern California.

In the Windy Hurricane Tracker, you can see 3 different forecasts that differ significantly in hurricane/storm strength so far. The NHC, the ECMWF, and the UK Met Office will continue to refine their forecasts. We will also keep you informed of forecast changes here.

Track Hurricane Hilary with ➡️ the Hurricane Tracker

Note: Windy.com images can be freely distributed. When sharing, please credit the source or tag Windy.com in your post or article.

https://www.windy.com/-Weather-radar-radar?radar,34.602,-116.587,7,internal

Since last March, you can find more than 5,000 radioactivity measurement stations on Windy.com. This is mainly thanks to the resources of EURDEP, and SaveEcoBot.

Before you start monitoring radiation stations, we recommend you check out this article on what radioactivity exposure is still safe and what is not.

You can also see on the map the significant deviation from other values at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, where readings commonly reach values between 4000 and 6000. Such values are common at this site.

Where to find radioactivity measurement stations

Mobile/tablet version

• Go to the menu
• Slide down to the section "Display on the map"
• Click on "Radiation"

Desktop version

• Go to the bottom right corner of Windy.com
• Click on More layers
• Pick Radiation

TIP: To have the radiation layer always at hand, move the toggle switch in the menu to lock the position of the layer among 7 locked layers (POIs)

Each measurement station can be clicked to see the previous day's values. In addition, if you already have a new version of Windy.com, you can preview each station without opening its detail.

About resources

EURDEP (The EUropean Radiological Data Exchange Platform): platform enabling a continuous exchange of radiation data by 39 participating countries from their national radiological monitoring networks

SaveEcoBot: a project by Pavlo Tkachenko and his team, originally focused on air quality in Ukraine. Due to the events of the last year, it has focused on measuring radioactivity in Ukraine. More about the SaveEcoBot project.

Apple Event is done. Here's an overview of the new widgets you'll find super useful in the new version of iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and WatchOS 10. Try new widgets right now.

*Note: The OS may take a while to recognize the new widgets. We recommend updating the OS first and then Windy to the new version 39.3.3.

Widgets for StandBy mode on iPhone

Do you check the weather before bed? Or do you like to keep track of your desk during the day? Weather and clock is the perfect combination you want to have on the new StandBy mode that Apple has introduced. If you're an ultra Windy fan, you can get two Windy widgets at once.

Weather Radar on Smart Stack

The new widget placement didn't surprise us. We're ready. You'll be able to add the forecast and even weather radar to your new Smart Stack!

Lock Screen widgets for iPad

Introduced last year, lock-screen widgets on the iPhone have become extremely popular. They are useful yet visually non-distracting. Now you can have them on the iPad too. Take a look at all the available widgets.

Day overview for simplicity lovers

We also bring one widget that is not complex like Windy but instead simple, clear, and handy at any time. We think it is best suited for Home Screen or StandBy mode

Pro tip: You can customize each widget to your liking. Long-tap into the settings where you can change the location, model, day range, zoom level, or visual style. Tweak the widgets to suit you.

Go Premium for more details and satellite imagery

We always go the extra mile for Premium users who support us. Windy Premium users will get 7 extra widgets for their iOS device menu. Go Windy Premium and enjoy all the benefits.

Hurricane Idalia: Update August 30, 2:00 pm UTC

Idalia weakened to a cat. 2 after landfall, and still poses a great danger to all residents in its path. Heavy rains, flooding, and storm surges are still continuing.

Watch Hurricane Idalia Live with Hurricane Tracker🌀

Image: Last 6 hours before landfall during sunrise. Satellite (visible) imagery with lightning.

Note: Any Windy.com footage can be freely distributed.
When sharing, please credit the source or tag Windy.com in your post or article.

Hurricane Idalia: Update August 30, 11:00 am UTC

Hurricane Idalia makes landfall in Florida. Briefly, it was cat.4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, but cat.3 on landfall.

Hurricane Idalia: Update August 30, 5:30 am UTC

Hurricane Idalia has strengthened to cat. 3 and is forecast to be cat. 4 when making landfall in less than 8 hours.

The NHC describes the possible impacts of the hurricane below.

Hurricane Idalia: Update August 29, 9:30 am UTC

Idalia has strengthened to the level of a Category 1 hurricane and is approaching Florida across the Gulf of Mexico. The NHC forecast, which is more inaccurate from our observations so far in North America, is that it will be a Category 3 hurricane.

Tropical Storm Idalia: Update August 28, 6:30 am UTC

A new system is forming off the coast of Mexico that has already reached tropical storm strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale and has the potential for further intensification in the coming days as its track heads into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The name is Idalia.

Note: Any Windy.com footage can be freely distributed.
When sharing, please credit the source or tag Windy.com in your post or article.

Individual NHC, ECMWF, and Met Office forecasts so far vary widely in predicting the strength of the storm. From previous systems, we can see the higher accuracy of the NHC within North America, and we are curious to see what the accuracy of the individual models will be. However, all of the models agree on a trajectory heading towards northern Florida around Wednesday morning (UTC).

The worst-case scenario so far is predicted by the NHC, which is currently forecasting a cat. 2 hurricane just before landfall in Florida.

https://www.windy.com/-Weather-radar-radar?radar,29.803,-82.782,7,internal

UPDATE September 16, 1:00 pm UTC

Hurricane Lee is now post-tropical storm Lee. It will make a landfall in Nova Scotia and will affect most of the Nova Scotia, New England, Maine, and New Brunswick.

🌀Live Hurricane Tracker: http://bit.ly/Lee-Waves

UPDATE September 15, 8:30 pm UTC

Hurricane Lee continues its north trajectory towards Nova Scotia. According to the NHC forecast, Lee should maintain the category 1 status and move into western Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick on Saturday.

🌀Live Hurricane Tracker: http://bit.ly/Lee-Waves

UPDATE September 14, 14:30 UTC

Hurricane Lee is currently at a Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson scale as it continues on its path across the western Atlantic.

In recent updates, the predicted trajectories have become quite consistent. The hurricane is expected to make landfall around Nova Scotia and Maine. At the time, it should weaken to cat. 1 or Tropical Storm.

Original article:
A new system is forming in the Atlantic, named Lee (by NHC) on Tuesday. Although it matches tropical storm strength for now, it could soon become the next major hurricane of the season.

Watch Hurricane Lee live on Hurricane Tracker

It's too early to make specific predictions, but early forecasts suggest the hurricane should not make landfall but could pose a major threat to the Lesser Antilles.

Both the National Hurricane Center and the European ECMWF (also known as "EURO") are predicting Tropical Storm Lee to reach hurricane level 4, but it should be heading further north.

You don't have to rely on a written update; watch Tropical Storm Lee live on Hurricane Tracker. We are currently reporting 3 scenarios (3 different models) for this storm.

Satellite view of Tropical Storm Lee(infra, blue, visible) on Windy.com:

All images and videos captured on Windy are free to distribute, ad-free, to all.

https://www.windy.com/-Satellite-satellite?satellite,32.900,-65.701,6,internal

According to ECMWF's ERA5 dataset, the global average 2m temperature hit 17.03°C on 4th July. The daily temperature record. But what does this heat mean for the human body, nature, or the amount of energy we get from the sun?

Join us to look at layers you may not be familiar with, but are extremely useful in the northern hemisphere summer, namely Wet-bulb temperature (WBT), UV index, Solar Power, and Extreme forecast layers.

You can find all these layers under the group "Temperature" filter in the mobile layer menu. Drought intensity have its own filter "Drought".

Wet-Bulb Temperature WBT

Temperature figures alone don't give a complete picture of the impact of heat on humans. So what is missing? It is the humidity that plays a significant role in how we actually experience high temperatures and how dangerous they are.

In essence, the WBT value means how well humans can cool themselves by sweating. The WBT critical threshold is considered 35C, where we can no longer cool down our bodies by sweating. At this temperature, human bodies switch from shedding heat to the environment to gaining heat from it.

UV index

The UV index is a fairly well-known value from general weather forecasting. But what exactly is it, and what do the different values mean? It measures the level of UV radiation at a particular place and time. The UVI indicates the level of radiation and the danger of short-term and long-term exposure to the sun.

0 to 2 means low danger from the Sun's UV rays for the average person.
3 to 5 means a moderate risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure.
6 to 7 means a high risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure.
8 to 10 means a very high risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure.
11 or more means extreme risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure.

Solar power

The good news in the end, the sun is also a good helper when it comes to generating electricity. Solar radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun, measured in watts per square meter (W/m2). On a clear day, the maximum surface value is approximately 1000 W/m2 at solar noon.

The Solar power layer can be used to indicate how much energy can be produced during one day with a certain amount of resources, in this case, PV panels.

Extreme Forecast

Statistically unusually cold or warm ground temperature for a given day (in UTC). ECMWF's Extreme Forecast Index, based on its 20-year history, displays the probability that on a given day, there will be an extreme event. The layer also shows unusually windy or rainy days (6 days ahead).

Drought monitoring

From 2021, you can monitor the drought status on Windy in 3 different layers, thanks to our cooperation with Czech Globe. On the drought intensity layer, you can view the soil drought status at a depth of 0 - 40 cm or 0 - 100 cm. The soil moisture layer shows you how saturated the soil is at these depths. You can also compare the values against the 1961-2010 average with the Moisture anomalies layer.

https://www.windy.com/-Wet-bulb-temp--wetbulbtemp?wetbulbtemp,50.080,14.505,5,i:pressure,internal

Estofex has issued threat Levels 1 and 2 for Thursday in several countries. Check the imagery by Estofex and Windy.com layers for the situation. Below, you can see multiple layers that can be helpful in the scenario.

Source: Estofex.org

Estofex issued

A level 2 was issued from France through Northern Switzerland and South Belgium towards South Germany, mainly for large to very large hail and damaging wind gusts.

A level 1 was issued across South-Central France mainly for damaging wind gusts and large hail.

A level 1 was issued for Northwest France, southeast UK, Netherlands, and Western Germany, mainly for large hail, severe wind gusts, and, to a lesser extent, for heavy rain.

A level 1 was issued over the Alps mainly for large hail, heavy rain, and severe wind gusts.

A level 1 was issued over Romania, Bulgaria, Southern Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Northern Macedonia, and Northern Greece mainly for excessive rainfall and large hail.*

More in-depth analysis can be found directly on Estofex.org

How to monitor the situation on Windy.com

• Weather Radar (currently displayed)
• Satellite INFRA+
• Rain, Thunder
• CAPE index
• Wind gusts

PRO TIP: Don't rely on just one prediction model. In Western/Central Europe, you can compare up to 8 different models (ECMWF, GFS, ICON, ICON-EU, ICON-D2, UKV, AROME, NEMS).

Note: Windy.com imagery, screenshots, and videos can be freely shared. Don't forget to mention Windy.com or tag our profile

Source: Estofex.org, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0
https://www.windy.com/-Weather-radar-radar?radar,48.301,7.752,6,internal

@ForestGIS

We take a look at Android placements, too. On the other hand, Android has Windy webcam widgets that are not yet technically possible with Apple. Each platform has its own. #nohate

@wvreeven
Have you updated to the latest version of Windy on iOS? It's 39.3.3. you can check your version in the menu.

Apple Event is done. Here's an overview of the new widgets you'll find super useful in the new version of iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and WatchOS 10. Try new widgets right now.

*Note: The OS may take a while to recognize the new widgets. We recommend updating the OS first and then Windy to the new version 39.3.3.

Widgets for StandBy mode on iPhone

Do you check the weather before bed? Or do you like to keep track of your desk during the day? Weather and clock is the perfect combination you want to have on the new StandBy mode that Apple has introduced. If you're an ultra Windy fan, you can get two Windy widgets at once.

Weather Radar on Smart Stack

The new widget placement didn't surprise us. We're ready. You'll be able to add the forecast and even weather radar to your new Smart Stack!

Lock Screen widgets for iPad

Introduced last year, lock-screen widgets on the iPhone have become extremely popular. They are useful yet visually non-distracting. Now you can have them on the iPad too. Take a look at all the available widgets.

Day overview for simplicity lovers

We also bring one widget that is not complex like Windy but instead simple, clear, and handy at any time. We think it is best suited for Home Screen or StandBy mode

Pro tip: You can customize each widget to your liking. Long-tap into the settings where you can change the location, model, day range, zoom level, or visual style. Tweak the widgets to suit you.

Go Premium for more details and satellite imagery

We always go the extra mile for Premium users who support us. Windy Premium users will get 7 extra widgets for their iOS device menu. Go Windy Premium and enjoy all the benefits.

Team Windy hasn't slept through the summer either, bringing you another new layer to help prevent fires. We worked with CzechGlobe on the new layer, just as we did on the drought layers earlier.

Why we come up with Fire Danger layer

Canada, Greece, Australia, and many other countries struggle with wildfires on a regular basis. Even though we can't put out fires, we're going into battle with a new layer we call Fire Danger. The layer will help rescue teams but also ordinary people to prevent the risk of fire or its further spread. The layer is currently displayed in the background of this article

It's super useful, simple, and it's free.

What does the new layer do?

Fire Danger is actually two layers, each showing something different. The Fire Spread layer shows the likelihood of a fire spreading based on several metrics, from which a complex model for the whole world is pieced together. The risks are divided into six categories: Very low to Extreme.

The second layer is Fire Ignition, which shows the moisture in the fuel. The lower the moisture in the fuel, the higher the chance of a fire. In layman's terms, if it hasn't rained for a long time and the ground is dry, the risk of a fire is much higher.

Both layers show a 10-day forecast. And while we hope to use them globally, we still want them to be needed as little as possible.

Where to find the new layers in Windy

The new layer is in the main menu as "Fire danger". Remember that as of Windy 39, you can pin your favorite layers to the quick pin menu. Just long tap on any layer in the menu.

Get a new layer into the world

Fire Danger is completely free. If you'd like to help us in any way, please share information about the new layer with your friends and the media.

Support us by buying Windy Premium

Premium features take you one step further, making you ready when your big day comes. Whether you're an athlete, pilot, sailor, or weather enthusiast. Go Premium now

https://www.windy.com/-Fire-spread-fwi?fwi,39.139,-103.524,6,internal

UPDATE September 16, 1:00 pm UTC

Hurricane Lee is now post-tropical storm Lee. It will make a landfall in Nova Scotia and will affect most of the Nova Scotia, New England, Maine, and New Brunswick.

🌀Live Hurricane Tracker: http://bit.ly/Lee-Waves

UPDATE September 15, 8:30 pm UTC

Hurricane Lee continues its north trajectory towards Nova Scotia. According to the NHC forecast, Lee should maintain the category 1 status and move into western Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick on Saturday.

🌀Live Hurricane Tracker: http://bit.ly/Lee-Waves

UPDATE September 14, 14:30 UTC

Hurricane Lee is currently at a Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson scale as it continues on its path across the western Atlantic.

In recent updates, the predicted trajectories have become quite consistent. The hurricane is expected to make landfall around Nova Scotia and Maine. At the time, it should weaken to cat. 1 or Tropical Storm.

Original article:
A new system is forming in the Atlantic, named Lee (by NHC) on Tuesday. Although it matches tropical storm strength for now, it could soon become the next major hurricane of the season.

Watch Hurricane Lee live on Hurricane Tracker

It's too early to make specific predictions, but early forecasts suggest the hurricane should not make landfall but could pose a major threat to the Lesser Antilles.

Both the National Hurricane Center and the European ECMWF (also known as "EURO") are predicting Tropical Storm Lee to reach hurricane level 4, but it should be heading further north.

You don't have to rely on a written update; watch Tropical Storm Lee live on Hurricane Tracker. We are currently reporting 3 scenarios (3 different models) for this storm.

Satellite view of Tropical Storm Lee(infra, blue, visible) on Windy.com:

All images and videos captured on Windy are free to distribute, ad-free, to all.

https://www.windy.com/-Satellite-satellite?satellite,32.900,-65.701,6,internal

Hi @idefix37

I was thinking the same when I checked the extremes today. We'll take a look. Many thanks!

Update September 6, 9:00 UTC

Greece is still experiencing extreme torrential rains, with streets flooded and large debris being carried away in the water flow. Hundreds of millimeters of rain are being reported in just 10 hours.

Estofex: A level 2 was issued across parts of Greece for exceptionally heavy rainfall and to a lesser extent for tornadoes.

Original text:
Estofex has issued Level 1 and Level 2 warnings for parts of Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey. You can read the full in-depth analysis on the Estofex website. The specific areas with warnings are visible in the image.

Source: Estofex.org

By far, the most serious situation appears to be in Greece, where up to hundreds of millimeters of rain could fall in the next few days, causing flash floods, landslides, and floating debris that could pose a serious danger to residents.

Sitauce is clearly visible on the Weather Radar(displayed), Rain, Thunder, Rain Accumulation layers. Don't forget to compare multiple models with each other (ECMWF, ICON, GFS, and the local ones.)

Rain, thunder layer with NEMS model

Rain accumulation (next 3 days) on the ICON-EU model

https://www.windy.com/-Weather-radar-radar?radar,39.514,22.267,10,internal

Hurricane Idalia: Update August 30, 2:00 pm UTC

Idalia weakened to a cat. 2 after landfall, and still poses a great danger to all residents in its path. Heavy rains, flooding, and storm surges are still continuing.

Watch Hurricane Idalia Live with Hurricane Tracker🌀

Image: Last 6 hours before landfall during sunrise. Satellite (visible) imagery with lightning.

Note: Any Windy.com footage can be freely distributed.
When sharing, please credit the source or tag Windy.com in your post or article.

Hurricane Idalia: Update August 30, 11:00 am UTC

Hurricane Idalia makes landfall in Florida. Briefly, it was cat.4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, but cat.3 on landfall.

Hurricane Idalia: Update August 30, 5:30 am UTC

Hurricane Idalia has strengthened to cat. 3 and is forecast to be cat. 4 when making landfall in less than 8 hours.

The NHC describes the possible impacts of the hurricane below.

Hurricane Idalia: Update August 29, 9:30 am UTC

Idalia has strengthened to the level of a Category 1 hurricane and is approaching Florida across the Gulf of Mexico. The NHC forecast, which is more inaccurate from our observations so far in North America, is that it will be a Category 3 hurricane.

Tropical Storm Idalia: Update August 28, 6:30 am UTC

A new system is forming off the coast of Mexico that has already reached tropical storm strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale and has the potential for further intensification in the coming days as its track heads into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The name is Idalia.

Note: Any Windy.com footage can be freely distributed.
When sharing, please credit the source or tag Windy.com in your post or article.

Individual NHC, ECMWF, and Met Office forecasts so far vary widely in predicting the strength of the storm. From previous systems, we can see the higher accuracy of the NHC within North America, and we are curious to see what the accuracy of the individual models will be. However, all of the models agree on a trajectory heading towards northern Florida around Wednesday morning (UTC).

The worst-case scenario so far is predicted by the NHC, which is currently forecasting a cat. 2 hurricane just before landfall in Florida.

https://www.windy.com/-Weather-radar-radar?radar,29.803,-82.782,7,internal

Estofex has issued threat Levels 1 and 2 for Thursday in several countries. Check the imagery by Estofex and Windy.com layers for the situation. Below, you can see multiple layers that can be helpful in the scenario.

Source: Estofex.org

Estofex issued

A level 2 was issued from France through Northern Switzerland and South Belgium towards South Germany, mainly for large to very large hail and damaging wind gusts.

A level 1 was issued across South-Central France mainly for damaging wind gusts and large hail.

A level 1 was issued for Northwest France, southeast UK, Netherlands, and Western Germany, mainly for large hail, severe wind gusts, and, to a lesser extent, for heavy rain.

A level 1 was issued over the Alps mainly for large hail, heavy rain, and severe wind gusts.

A level 1 was issued over Romania, Bulgaria, Southern Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Northern Macedonia, and Northern Greece mainly for excessive rainfall and large hail.*

More in-depth analysis can be found directly on Estofex.org

How to monitor the situation on Windy.com

• Weather Radar (currently displayed)
• Satellite INFRA+
• Rain, Thunder
• CAPE index
• Wind gusts

PRO TIP: Don't rely on just one prediction model. In Western/Central Europe, you can compare up to 8 different models (ECMWF, GFS, ICON, ICON-EU, ICON-D2, UKV, AROME, NEMS).

Note: Windy.com imagery, screenshots, and videos can be freely shared. Don't forget to mention Windy.com or tag our profile

Source: Estofex.org, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0
https://www.windy.com/-Weather-radar-radar?radar,48.301,7.752,6,internal

What's new

We can't ignore that the weather radar is one of the most popular features of Windy. That's why we have invested time and resources in new radar sources covering the Alps. Traveling to the Alps? You'll love this new upgrade.

Thanks to new sources from Austria and Switzerland, we'll cover the vast majority of the Alps with better data (resolution 1 km, refresh rate 5 minutes). Watch the animation to see what it means to have better data.

Why is it so important?

The Alps are home not only to the inhabitants of the Alpine countries but also to athletes and mountain sports enthusiasts, not to mention the pilots who fly over the Alps. They can all see the difference today. Just check the Before/After. Having good radar coverage of the Alps can make a big difference in reality.

Also, it's not easy to cover the Alps with the high rock massifs and the peaks, but together with your support and the great infrastructure of Swiss and Austrian met services, we made it possible on Windy.

Even more impressive with Premium

1-hour weather radar remains free. If you want to see the new, improved radar in 6-hour and 12-hour recording, go for Windy Premium for only €18.99 per year (appx. €1.6 /month).

https://www.windy.com/-Weather-radar-radar?radar,46.543,12.713,7,internal