<p>Background: I use the X-Plane flightsimulator for flying and gliding. In the program we have real weather (clouds, winds, etc...) but thermals are not well implemented, they don't have any connection with clouds or weather, they are just blue thermals. We can control its altitude, climb rate and coverage (percentage). I am thinking about writing a small plugin to control these preferences based on the real weather.</p>

<p>Can you give a simple formula to roughly calculate thermal parameters based on data in METARs (temperature, drew point, cloud coverage/type, wind). Thanks!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-04T14:45:33.130Z
Thanks for the tips. I'll check the book out, but since I'm not if physics, it's possible that I'll not understand a word!:) I found this: https://www.meteoblue.com/hu/id%C5%91j%C3%A1r%C3%A1s/el%C5%91rejelz%C3%A9s/thermal/budapest_magyarorsz%C3%A1g_3054643 that had indexes and so in it. I don't need anything complicated and precise just some heuristic to determine the thermal coverage percentage and so.
Stone
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-05T10:18:57.230Z
Thanks for the link. It seems that this hole is deeper than I thought...
Stone
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-06T08:42:28.063Z
I was hoping some heuristics based on sentences from the above mentioned web-page like this: "A larger difference between temperature and dewpoint means less humidity and thus a higher cloud base." and "Thermals develop under calm conditions or with light, variable wind. However, with 10 to 20 km/h wind, the thermals tend to be better organized. Stronger winds generally means also more wind above, which could produce wind shear, destroying the thermals. Look at the wind shear diagram. "
Stone
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-06T09:28:24.947Z
In my plugin a was planned to calculate these let's say every 5 minutes from the available latest METAR then update the thermal settings accordingly.
Stone
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-06T11:35:51.497Z
Model or formula, what is the difference?
Stone
<meteorology>
Thermal likelihood formula
Stone
# Thermal likelihood formula

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-06-04)

Background: I use the X-Plane flightsimulator for flying and gliding. In the program we have real weather (clouds, winds, etc...) but thermals are not well implemented, they don't have any connection with clouds or weather, they are just blue thermals. We can control its altitude, climb rate and coverage (percentage). I am thinking about writing a small plugin to control these preferences based on the real weather.

Can you give a simple formula to roughly calculate thermal parameters based on data in METARs (temperature, drew point, cloud coverage/type, wind). Thanks!

**Tags:** meteorology

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the tips. I'll check the book out, but since I'm not if physics, it's possible that I'll not understand a word!:) I found this: https://www.meteoblue.com/hu/id%C5%91j%C3%A1r%C3%A1s/el%C5%91rejelz%C3%A9s/thermal/budapest_magyarorsz%C3%A1g_3054643 that had indexes and so in it. I don't need anything complicated and precise just some heuristic to determine the thermal coverage percentage and so.  
> **username_0**: Thanks for the link. It seems that this hole is deeper than I thought...  
> **username_0**: I was hoping some heuristics based on sentences from the above mentioned web-page like this: "A larger difference between temperature and dewpoint means less humidity and thus a higher cloud base." and "Thermals develop under calm conditions or with light, variable wind. However, with 10 to 20 km/h wind, the thermals tend to be better organized. Stronger winds generally means also more wind above, which could produce wind shear, destroying the thermals. Look at the wind shear diagram. "  
> **username_0**: In my plugin a was planned to calculate these let's say every 5 minutes from the available latest METAR then update the thermal settings accordingly.  
> **username_0**: Model or formula, what is the difference?  

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## 0 answers

