Back to Weather Page
Changing Weather Settings
Thinking outside the Weather dialog box
Contents
Visual Weather Settings
Dynamic Weather Settings
Resetting Defaults
Related Links
Introduction to Flight Simulator Weather
Using Weather Themes
Using Real-World Weather
Using User-Defined Weather
Top 10 Weather Concepts
Aviation Weather Basics

In addition to the weather choices that you can make using the Weather screens, you can also set options on the Weather Settings tab.

You can:

  • Set the distance at which clouds draw
  • Make thermals visible
  • Change the appearance of clouds
  • Download winds-aloft data with real-world weather
  • Turn off the aircraft's response to turbulence
  • Adjust the rate at which weather changes

Visual Weather Settings

Cloud draw distance

Displaying clouds in Flight Simulator uses a lot of graphics processing power. Drawing clouds at great distances may affect computer performance. You can change the distance at which clouds display to a shorter distance to free up computer resources for other tasks.

To change the distance at which clouds draw

  1. From the main screen, click Settings.
  2. On the Settings screen, click Customize, then click the Weather tab.
  3. Move the Cloud draw distance slider left or right to decrease or increase the distance.
  4. Click OK.
-or-
  1. On the Options menu, point to Settings, then click Display.
  2. Click the Weather tab.
  3. Move the Cloud draw distance slider left or right to decrease or increase the distance.
  4. Click OK.

Thermal visualization (for soaring)

Thermals are rising columns of warm air caused by the sun's uneven heating of the Earth's surface. Glider pilots use thermals to gain altitude, in the same way that birds do. Thermals can be difficult to find but there are two kinds of visual aids in Flight Simulator to find thermals.

In Flight Simulator Natural thermal indicators are birds circling within the thermal. A Schematic thermal indicator is an artificial graphic that Flight Simulator draws within the thermal.

Try soaring in thermals with the DG 808S Competition Sailplane.

To make thermals visible

  1. From the main screen, click Settings.
  2. On the Settings screen, click Customize, then click the Weather tab.
  3. Select Natural or Schematic from the Thermal visualization list.
  4. Click OK.
-or-
  1. On the Options menu, point to Settings, then click Display.
  2. Click the Weather tab.
  3. Select Natural or Schematic from the Thermal visualization list.
  4. Click OK.

Cloud detail

As with most graphic settings, the greater the detail, the more computer resources are required to display it. Flight Simulator has settings for simple and detailed clouds. Experiment with each to see how your computer performs.

To change cloud detail

  1. From the main screen, click Settings.
  2. On the Settings screen, click Customize, then click the Weather tab.
  3. Select the Simple clouds (2-D clouds) or Detailed clouds (3-D clouds) option.
  4. Move the Cloud coverage density slider right or left to increase or decrease density.
  5. Click OK.
-or-
  1. On the Options menu, point to Settings, then click Display.
  2. Click the Weather tab.
  3. Select the Natural or right to Schematic option.
  4. Move the Cloud coverage density slider right or left to increase or decrease density.
  5. Click OK.

Dynamic Weather Settings

Download Winds-aloft Data

Flight Simulator will not download winds-aloft information unless you enable this option. Be aware that when you select this option, Flight Simulator creates appropriate turbulence in the downloaded wind layers. If you don't want turbulence, either don't select this option or modify the real-world weather in the User-defined weather dialog box. To learn more, see Using User-Defined Weather.

To download winds-aloft data with real-world weather

  1. From the main screen, click Settings.
  2. On the Settings screen, click Customize, then click the Weather tab.
  3. Select the Download winds aloft data with real-world weather check box.
  4. Click OK.
-or-
  1. On the Options menu, point to Settings, then click Display.
  2. Click the Weather tab.
  3. Select the Download winds aloft data with real-world weather check box.
  4. Click OK.

Disable turbulence and thermal effects

When real-world weather is downloaded, wind layers and clouds often contain turbulence. When flying over areas heated by the sun, the atmosphere contains thermals of rising air. You can disable the effect turbulence and thermals have on your aircraft to make your flight smoother.

To disable the turbulence and thermal effects

  1. From the main screen, click Settings.
  2. On the Settings screen, click Customize, then click the Weather tab.
  3. Select the Disable turbulence and thermal effects on aircraft check box.
  4. Click OK.
-or-
  1. On the Options menu, point to Settings, then click Display.
  2. Click the Weather tab.
  3. Select the Disable turbulence and thermal effects on aircraft check box.
  4. Click OK.

Dynamic weather rate

When the weather rate slider is set to No change, weather in Flight Simulator remains as you set it in the User-defined weather dialog box or as it was downloaded from the Internet. When this option is set to Low, Medium, High, or Very High, weather conditions change dynamically depending on the atmospheric conditions set in the Weather dialog box. For example, at the Low setting, it might take a couple of hours to see much change in the weather. At the Very High setting, you're likely to see changes in 15 to 20 minutes.

Dynamic weather applies to all three weather types: Weather themes, Real-world weather, and User-defined weather. Clouds, winds, and precipitation form and dissipate over time depending on the conditions chosen or downloaded.

To change the rate at which weather changes

  1. From the main screen, click Settings.
  2. On the Settings screen, click Customize, then click the Weather tab.
  3. Move the Rate at which weather changes over time slider to the desired setting.
  4. Click OK.
-or-
  1. On the Options menu, point to Settings, then click Display.
  2. Click the Weather tab.
  3. Move the Rate at which weather changes over time slider to the desired setting.
  4. Click OK.

Resetting Default Values

You can easily return to the default settings at any time.

To reset the weather settings

  • On the Display Settings Weather tab, click Reset Defaults.
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