About
Soaringmeteo is a purpose-built weather forecasting service for soaring pilots — including paragliders, hang gliders, and glider pilots — providing free, science-grade forecasts tailored to the needs of thermal flight planning. The platform runs two underlying numerical weather prediction models: soarGFS, which delivers up to 7-day global forecasts at 25 km resolution updated twice daily, and soarWRF, a high-resolution regional model covering the Alps at 2 km and 6 km resolution with forecasts out to 4 days, updated multiple times per day. The flagship soarV2 interface offers an interactive map view across multiple world regions — Europe, North America, South America, South Africa, the Himalayas, and Australia — letting pilots instantly identify the best flying days and locations based on thermal updraft speed, wind speed, and wind direction. Emagram and Skew-T diagrams are available for in-depth atmospheric sounding analysis. The platform supports 7 languages and can be installed as a Progressive Web App (PWA) on mobile devices for offline-ready access. Beyond forecasting, Soaringmeteo hosts an extensive library of original educational documents covering soaring meteorology concepts such as the convective boundary layer, thermal dynamics, and atmospheric modeling — making it an invaluable resource for both new and experienced pilots. The soarV2 codebase is fully open-source and hosted on GitHub, welcoming community contributions. The service is sustained by voluntary donations and volunteer contributors.
Key Features
- Dual-Model Forecasting (GFS + WRF): Combines the global GFS model (25 km, 7-day) with the high-resolution regional WRF model (2–6 km, 4-day) for the Alps, offering both breadth and precision.
- Interactive soarV2 Map Interface: A modern, open-source map interface showing thermal updraft speed, wind direction, and strength across multiple global regions at a glance.
- Emagram & Skew-T Atmospheric Soundings: Detailed atmospheric profile diagrams allow pilots to analyze convective boundary layer height, temperature gradients, and stability indices for any forecast point.
- Global Regional Coverage: Forecasts available for Europe, North America, South America, South Africa, the Himalayas, and Australia, with high-resolution Alpine sub-regions.
- Mobile PWA & Multilingual Support: Install soarV2 as a Progressive Web App on any mobile device for full-screen access; interface available in 7 languages.
Use Cases
- A paraglider pilot uses Soaringmeteo to compare thermal strength and wind forecasts across multiple Alpine sites to choose the best flying location for the weekend.
- A hang gliding instructor references the convective boundary layer educational documents on Soaringmeteo to teach students about atmospheric dynamics during ground school.
- A competition glider pilot uses the 7-day soarGFS global maps to plan cross-country flights across Europe, identifying days with strong widespread thermal activity.
- A student preparing for the Swiss paragliding theoretical exam uses Soaringmeteo's updated study documents to learn soaring meteorology concepts.
- A soaring club embeds Soaringmeteo's WRF forecasts into their weekly briefing to give members an at-a-glance overview of the upcoming flying week.
Pros
- Completely Free to Use: All forecasts, models, and educational documents are freely accessible with no subscription or registration required.
- High-Resolution Alpine Forecasts: WRF model at 2 km resolution provides exceptional detail for mountain flying in the Alps, updated multiple times per day.
- Open-Source & Community-Driven: The soarV2 interface is open-source on GitHub, allowing pilots and developers to contribute improvements and extensions.
- Rich Educational Resources: Includes comprehensive original documents on soaring meteorology, including convective boundary layer theory, ideal for self-study or exam preparation.
Cons
- Regional WRF Coverage Primarily Alpine: High-resolution 2 km WRF forecasts are limited to the Alpine region; global coverage relies on the coarser 25 km GFS model.
- Interface Primarily in French: Documentation and some UI elements default to French, though 7 languages are supported in the soarV2 interface.
- Niche Audience Scope: The platform is highly specialized for soaring pilots; general aviation or non-soaring weather users will find limited utility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Soaringmeteo and who is it for?
Soaringmeteo is a free meteorological forecasting service designed specifically for soaring pilots — paragliders, hang gliders, and glider pilots — who need detailed thermal and atmospheric forecasts to plan safe and enjoyable flights.
What weather models does Soaringmeteo use?
It uses two models: soarGFS, based on the Global Forecast System (GFS) at 25 km resolution providing global 7-day forecasts, and soarWRF, based on the Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) model at 2–6 km resolution for the Alps, providing up to 4-day forecasts.
How often are the forecasts updated?
soarGFS forecasts are updated twice daily (around 7h and 19h CEST). soarWRF Alpine forecasts are updated multiple times per day depending on how far ahead the forecast day is, with same-day forecasts available around 4h CEST.
Can I use Soaringmeteo on my smartphone?
Yes. The soarV2 interface can be installed as a Progressive Web App (PWA) on iOS and Android devices, giving you full-screen access with faster load times and offline capabilities.
Is Soaringmeteo open-source?
The soarV2 interface is open-source and available on GitHub. Community contributions and feedback are actively welcomed by the development team.
