If you want the data that Flight Simulator actually uses, rather than a more typical aviation source, you can pull up cloud tops from Meteoblue’s numerical forecast model here:
Currently I don’t use the sim weather but rather REX. I guess I would have to check where they pull from but given it’s usually pretty bang on accurate, how would real world pilots obtain this information?
Having played about with the MeteoBlue website, a few interesting conditions have become visible to me … (maybe this is not NEW NEWS, but it’s new to me)
Here is a Screen show @ KDCA - Real Weather – also showing
The Current metar from MeteoBlue, (Top)
The MSFS weather related Simvars (Altimeter, wind speed direction) (Stream Deck)
What ATC is saying in a take off clearance (Altimeter, wind speed direction) (ATC window)
I had always assumed, that MSFS was not getting the correc t/ current MeteoBlue Metar data, and this was why ATC was giving strange altimeter, wind speed, direction (and runway) that did not match what the sim windsock etc were indicating
But now, with the actual MeteoBlue Metar data visible , it looks like MSFS is getting that data correctly, as reflected in the Stream Deck display of the relevant SIMVARS, and it is 100% the ATC that is reporting the data incorrectly
SO, the data looks good, the two things that seem wrong are
The way MSFS sometimes depicts that weather (subjective)
The way MSFS ATC reports the data (Just Plain INCORRECT !!)
Wishing Asobo “good Luck” and every Success in sorting this out in 2022
(So relieved it is not my problem, or task to achieve)
Obviously NOT flying out of KDCA this afternoon in a C172 !!!
I’ll be lucky to get the plane door open, and get back to the warmth of the FBO !!
Not sure what you guys use up in Canada, but in the States I’d just pull up the Aviation Weather Center, which has a plot for tops, or another forecast model like the HRRR:
Keep in mind that Flight Simulator Live Weather is now injecting METAR data including cloud cover and base. Tops are still probably coming from Meteoblue since the METAR doesn’t have that information.
Ha, every time I compare the States to Germany in regards to aviation and especially weather charts/data etc. I begin to cry. And its even free in the States…