The snow cover high in the mountains covers too large an area and therefore ensures that there is snow in the valleys in the immediate vicinity, for example at 16°C, when in reality there is actually a few centimeters of snow up on the mountain at temperatures around the freezing point.
Solution approach:
-Include all weather stations on relatively high mountains in the database and significantly reduce their coverage area
-If this produces unsatisfactory results, then prioritize all weather stations in the valleys between high mountains in the immediate vicinity
The snow coverage data has nothing to do with weather stations at all. Like all of the live weather data (aside from METAR) it comes from forecast models rather than actual observations. Weather stations are a lot less common than you think, and “amount of snow on the ground” isn’t actually something that many of them even officially record.
However, it does not change my conclusion and the proposed approach to minimize the problem.
They have the snow data somewhere, whether from weather stations or not. They just don’t deal with it satisfactorily.
If I am not completely mistaken, snow coverage comes from meteoblue snow coverage map. At least in vast areas of the world, the snow coverage is almost 100% identical to what you see on the meteoblue snow coverage map, including wrong blobs of snow where there should not be any and vice versa. The problem of valleys is therefore (imho) indeed the usage of a not enough resolved snow coverage map (data) from meteoblue. Asobo partially already confirmed this several times…
1 Like
You basically just said “milk comes from the grocery store, not from cows”. Meteoblue ain’t flying a spaceship around the planet looking at snow coverage, they use a bunch of different forecast models to generate the map. That’s why random freak snowstorms and other isolated mesoscale weather events don’t really ever make it into live weather accurately. And yeah, the data Meteoblue produces is far higher resolution than what is used in game, which is a big part of the issue. I just wanted to point out to the other guy that it’s nothing to do with “weather stations”.
Also, the snow coverage in game very often does not match what’s on the Meteoblue map. Meteoblue hasn’t shown any snow around Milford Sound NZ for months and months, for instance. The data that makes it into the game isn’t just excessively low resolution, it’s also very outdated and just flat out wrong compared to what Meteoblue puts out.
2 Likes
Maybe I did, but if you check meteoblue snow coverage you will quickly realize that they DO provide enough resolution to NOT have snow inside the valleys (simply zoom in in their map). So that is why Asobo always said in the Q&A streams that “the data is here, but it is not in the sim”.
Sure, the resolution is not the only issue, but in many cases, using a higher resolution basis would already solve most problems.
1 Like
Totally agree, meteoblue has enough resolution to provide correct informations … in switzerland same problem as described in bolzano … no snow in my area, but snow up in the mountains … but rhone valley looks like antartica all winter long …
1 Like
they may dont have spaceships. but as a weather provider of that kind, they should get data from something called weather satellites. 
in this weeks dev Q&A, Seb provided some insight on what they are working on regarding snow cover (or in this case ice …but at least they are working on the topic):
1 Like
you guys may also have a look and vote in this thread:
1 Like
no, it was not. All high mountain areas are still in eternal winter if you select live weather. As soon as you leave these areas, the snow coverage and water icing gets normal. Quote Meteoblue:Antwort der Redaktion: Danke für das Feedback. Dass der Brienzersee zugefroren ist liegt an der Auflösung der Gitterzelle. Die Wetterdaten sind jeweils immer für eine Gitterzelle berechnet und diese deckt dann ein ganzes Gebiet ab. In diesem Beispiel werden in einer Gitterzelle sowohl sehr hohe Berge als auch der deutlich tiefer gelegene See berücksichtigt. Dies führt hier konkret zu zugefroren Seen. Dies tritt vor allem dann auf, wenn es innerhalb einer Gitterzelle grosse Höhenunterschiede gibt. unquote
Lets touch wood. They might say they are working on a solution, but it’s Meteoblue who need to make changes.
have you sent a request to meteoblue, or from where did you get this feedback (technical explanation)?
In the april’s developer stream, the teased the improvements coming with SU15. This will include improvements regarding “snow coverage”. Sounds promising, but i am afraid there won’t be any significant change regarding actual snow coverage, because they are always talking about “ice coverage” when speaking about “snow coverage”… unfortunately.
1 Like
Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?
yes
load in LOWI and set to live weather
Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:
had the issue with SU14 and now also with SU15
issue with empty community folder or with ORBX LOWI
If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:
Coments:
there is no snow anymore. starting with this weekend, bike downhill parks are opening in the mountains (at least up to 1600m / 5000ft).
these webcams are there and you can spot the airport down in the valley:
https://www.muttereralm.at/de/service/webcams/12-0.html
Come on… there is no snow anymore in the valleys.
1 Like
Yes I have written to them. They are headquartered in our country, anyway. They confirmed they might not be able to fix the issue at all.
Then they should at least give us a workaround like disabling snow in the settings or something
4 Likes
Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?
Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:
If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:
Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?
Simply use the sim
Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:
Alps has no snow since February around Bolzano
If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:
you can find a lot of screens. The same you avoid since 2022
Hi,
in the August dev stream, there was a question regarding inaccurate snow coverage in summer. They say the data provider is the problem.
