We have improved the METAR handling, the METAR data interpolation across the Dynamic Weather grid, and improved the weather data averaging throughout the grid area.

We have added 'Enable Cirrus Clouds' and 'Preferred Cover' (0 = random,or 1 to 8) options to the Weather dialog to allow the cirrus clouds, which are not specified in the METAR data, to be controlled by the user.

Live Weather Engine Upgrade

The most recent METAR reports from ALL met stations within the weather grid's area will be downloaded and used to construct the detailed weather map on the grid. The central grid area being used to generate the Dynamic Weather.

We also have plans in stage Four to increase (i.e. double) the resolution of the Dynamic Weather region to construct the weather using 16km weather cells. The reason for these upgrades is to obviously provide the most accurate, detailed and stable weather possible, even when flying in METAR sparse regions. The extended weather grid will provide a vast look-ahead or peek over the current weather horizon so that the central area you are located and flying within is constructed using a much wider meteorological picture.

A remote LWE option will be provided allowing you to offload the LWE onto a client computer system. This system will not need FSX or P3D to be installed if you are using it solely for the LWE. That is if you are not intending to drive additonal views off the client. The networked client will of course need Internet access, as good a connection as you can manage, and a good LAN connection to the server.

The weather grid (horizon) will be more than doubled once again but only on the networked LWE. The Dynamic Weather region will once again remain the same size since this already extends well beyond visible range. The Dynamic Weather will be extracted from the central 480km x 480km (300 x 300 mile) area of the extended weather grid which will now cover an area of 1952km x 1952km (about 1220 x 1220 miles). We will also increase (double) the resolution of the Dynamic Weather by constructing the weather throughout the weather region using 16km weather cells. This change will also benefit future upgrades such as the Live Weather Assistant and a Live Weather Radar type feature.

Again, the most recent METAR reports from ALL met stations within the weather grid's area will be downloaded and used to construct the detailed weather map on the weather grid. The central grid area being used to generate the detailed weather.

We will be developing a completely new Weather Interpolation algorithm which we have code named WINTER. WINTER will operate in its own thread and be fully integrated into and synchronised to the LWE. This recursive algorithm (process) will be responsible for looking at the full weather grid and interpolating all the weather in between the known met stations. It will be far more intelligent than the existing weather inetrpolation algorithm. This task will also be responsible for stabilising the weather data to prevent any faulty met reports messing things up (e.g. a faulty automated met station reporting 60mph winds when all around the winds are calm).

Stages One to Four should progress smoothly and be available over the coming month or two. WINTER will hopefully be available before the onset of Winter

in addition to the usual reduction for mist and fog, the visibility can now only be reduced to 32km if there is rain or snow in the weather cell and there is at least one cloud layer capable of producing the precipitation.