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Weather themes allow you to take advantage of Flight Simulator's weather features without having to choose all of the settings on your own.

Think of themes as big blocks of weather with preset conditions. By choosing a theme, you can experience a variety of complex weather conditions with just a few clicks, and without having to set conditions at many individual weather stations. Themes measure 1,000 square kilometers, centered on the location of your aircraft.

When you fly beyond the boundaries of a weather theme, you will enter global weather. For example, when flying beyond the Major Thunderstorm theme, you would see gloomy weather set globally in all other areas. Similarly, the Clear Skies theme is a quick way to clear all the weather around you.

Note: To make weather change over time, move the Rate that weather changes over time slider.

When using real-world weather or themes, the weather settings are different at different weather stations. When using one of these weather options, the settings on the Custom or Advanced weather dialog boxes may not match the conditions displayed in the simulator or on the first weather screen. By default the Custom and Advanced weather dialog do not display conditions at individual stations; select the Specific weather station option on the Custom or Advanced dialog boxes to view conditions at individual weather stations.

To choose a theme From the main screen, click Free Flight. In the Current Weather box, click Change. On the Weather dialog box, click the Weather themes option. Select a theme in the list. To the right of the list, a picture represents each theme's weather conditions, and text describes the themes. Click OK.

Weather Themes

The following table describes the conditions that Flight Simulator's weather themes provide.

Note: When a theme with snow is loaded into the simulator, choosing a different theme will not make the snow on the ground disappear immediately. You'll have to fly away from the area and return or start a new flight before the snow on the ground will disappear.

Theme Name	Description	General Conditions
Clear Skies (default)	A great day for flying: No clouds, calm winds, and mild temperatures prevail.	Clouds: None Precipitation: None Visibility: Unlimited Wind: None
Building Storms	A hot, humid day with storms building in the area.	Clouds: Scattered thunderstorms Precipitation: Moderate to heavy rain Visibility: 10 miles/16 kilometers Wind: Strong and variable
Cold Fronts	Fast-moving storms to the east and west offer a flying challenge.	Clouds: Broken to overcast Precipitation: Moderate to heavy rain Visibility: Variable Wind: Moderate to strong
Fair Weather	Isolated cumulus and high-level cirrus clouds, combined with mild temperatures and light winds, make for a great day for sightseeing.	Clouds: Scattered cumulus Precipitation: None Visibility: 20 miles/32 kilometers Wind: Light
Fogged In	Low-lying fog obscures the ground, and you can barely make out the runway lights. How proficient are you on instruments?	Clouds: Overcast Precipitation: Light Rain Visibility: 0.5 miles/0.8 kilometers Wind: Light
Gray and Rainy	Even though the skies are gray, it's still fine for flying. Stay out of the clouds and you'll be okay.	Clouds: Broken to Overcast Precipitation: Light Visibility: 20 miles/32 kilometers Wind: Variable
Heavy Snows	A heavy snowstorm with high winds and low visibility is closing in on your position from the northeast.	Clouds: Overcast Precipitation: Heavy snow Visibility: 2 miles/3.2 kilometers Wind: Moderate
Major Thunderstorm	A large area of low pressure has generated a massive storm front with concentrated thunderstorms at its center.	Clouds: Thunderstorm Precipitation: Heavy Visibility: 3 miles/4.8 kilometers Wind: Strong and gusting
Stormy Weather	Strong winds, clouds, and precipitation will make you earn your pay today.	Clouds: Broken to Overcast Precipitation: Moderate Visibility: 10mi/16km Wind: Strong
Winter Wonderland	Isolated snow flurries, broken clouds, and gentle winds make for a fun day of winter flying.	Clouds: Scattered to Broken Precipitation: Light snow Visibility: 10 miles/16 kilometers Wind: Light

Note: If you load a Weather theme and then customize the conditions in User-defined weather, the effects of the theme will be redistributed and diluted to some degree. This doesn't mean you shouldn't modify weather when a theme is loaded; it just means you should be aware that the results are not entirely predictable.