Clouds do not match up with weather. Is anyone who is running remotely getting the weather to agree even somewhat close to the actual weather?? I am running stock clouds. I can't buy an overcast condition even when activeradar says Overcast with Bases of 3700 and tops at 7200. I fly around with a party cloudy bubble around the aircraft. Here are my .iniFSUIPC[General]History=WindSmoothing=NoWhiteMessages=NoThrottleSyncAll=NoGraduatedVisibility=NoLowerVisAltitude=6000UpperVisAltitude=25000UpperVisibility=6000GenerateCirrus=NoWindShearSharp=NoUpperWindGusts=NoExtendMetarMaxVis=NoPatchSimApAlt=NoAutoClearWeather=YesExtendTopWind=YesWindSmoothness=5SmoothPressure=NoPressureSmoothness=5SmoothVisibility=NoVisibilitySmoothness=2MaxSurfaceWind=0WindLimitLevel=200WindDiscardLevel=400WindAjustAltitude=NoWindAjustAltitudeBy=2000MinimumVisibility=0MaximumVisibilityFewClouds=0MaximumVisibility=0MaximumVisibilityOvercast=0MaximumVisibilityRainy=0OneCloudLayer=NoThinClouds=NoThinThunderClouds=NoCloudThinness=1000ThunderCloudThinness=10000CloudTurbulence=NoCloudIcing=NoWindTurbulence=NoSuppressAllGusts=NoExternalOptionControl=YesAutoTuneADF=NoMagicBattery=NoKeepFS98CloudCover=NoRudderSpikeRemoval=NoElevatorSpikeRemoval=NoReversedElevatorTrim=NoAileronSpikeRemoval=NoShowPMcontrols=NoTrapUserInterrupt=YesNavFreq50KHz=NoClockSync=NoSmoothIAS=YesSetVisUpperAlt=NoVisUpperAltLimit=6000SuppressCloudTurbulence=YesSuppressWindTurbulence=NoSpoilerIncrement=512TCASid=FlightTCASrange=40TrafficScanPerFrame=10AxisCalibration=NoCentredDialogue=NoClearWeatherDynamics=YesOwnWeatherChanges=NoFixWindows=NoFixControlAccel=NoWeatherReadInterval=4MoveBGLvariables=YesMainMenu=&ModulesSubMenu=&FSUIPC ...[JoystickCalibration]FlapsSetControl=0ReverserControl=66292MaxThrottleForReverser=0AileronTrimControl=0RudderTrimControl=0[Programs]run1=D:Program FilesFS FlightTrackerFlightTracker.exerun2=D:Program FilesFS Real TimeFSRealTime.exerun3=D:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesSBRelay12.exeAS2004[General]WindowPosX = 3150WindowPosY = 1650DefaultWeatherFolder = C:Program FilesAS2004ModulesActiveSky2004SuppressionCeiling = 10000SurfaceWindLimit = 10CloudLayerLimit = 10LocalSuppressionRange = 50OnlineUpdates = TrueExtendedDestinationWindsForce = FalseGlobalWrites = FalseVoicePlayback = FalseLocalSuppression = TrueStartupSound = TrueUseProxyServer = FalseFogLayerGeneration = FalseUpdateSuppression = TrueOvercastEnhancement = FalseRouteWindSmoothing = TrueLimitSurfaceWinds = FalseLimitCloudLayers = TrueDisableUpperLayerGeneration = FalseVisibilitySmoothing = TrueDisableMessages = TrueAutoTimeZoneDetection = TrueUpdateInterval = 30VATSIMData = TrueZuluConversion = -6TAFProcessing = FalseWakeTurb = FalseStartPaused = FalseUseSystemTime = FalseDisableCAVOKClouds = TrueProxyAddress = NONEGetting slowly frustrated...thanksSteve

Yes, I get the same problem, as I suspect most people are having. While sometimes the "broken" is so close to actual overcast that it's hard to tell, there are still breaks in it. Unfortunately I think this is a case of only being able to go so far with modifying the way FS displays clouds. If you really want to point a finger (and I sure do, let me tell you!), then I'd point straight at MS who, for some reason that is completely and totally beyond every serious simmer here, has decided that overcasts don't actually exist. As I said when the sim first came out - if you like IFR flying, this sim isn't for you. I think AS2 is doing all it possibly can to work around this, and I have no issues with that program at all when it comes to this. Don't worry though - I'm sure the patch from MS will fix it up (patch name: FS2006 - it will only cost you about $60.00 US).

My clouds are nowhere near what's reported in the METAR. It's not minor differences either. It's METAR reporting 3 low cloud layers and AS2K4 drawing nothing but high cirrus clouds as far as they eye can see.The cloud generation in AS seems very arbitrary/random to me.J

Weather add-ons should display the weather as it is currently observed not just be a pretty cloud generator. The good news is that I believe this will be fixed by the good work that Damien does. It seems to me that the very first Active WxRE was much better at presenting the current conditions in regards to clouds but terrible with ainds aloft. It has almost swapped. Keep the honest testimonies coming in so we can see if this is a wide or isolated problem.Steve

How about turning on Overcast Enhancement. I believe this creates two vertically close dense broken cloud layers to get around the FS limitations. Also be sure you have your cloud densities set correct in FS.You are also using On-Line updates, but using FS Time in the options. I believe the AS weather dynamics will interpolate what is going on between the two times. Try activating TAF generation.Does your METAR reading zulu time agree with your FS time (adjusted to zulu) when flying?Also, unless it has been removed, in FSUIPC there should be a check on allow external weather control.

Hi,Have you tried without loading a flight plan in AS2004? Some problems so far noted have to do with corrupt flight plan processing data, something I am working on. This may be related.FWIW in my tests I still have YET to duplicate any inconsistency in reported clouds and realized conditions, so do realize this is a problem effecting only some users and the reasons are yet unknown. Rest assured I am working hard on trying to duplicate it so I can fix it. Please try NOT loading a flight plan to see if you note any difference. Also, this goes without saying but just to be sure, make sure you let AS2004 load when you are parked ON THE GROUND, NOT AIRBORNE, to ensure that any suppression options you have set are not triggered during the intial weather set. Also make sure FSUIPC options are set appropriately. Note also that there is no arbitrary random formula for determining clouds. On the contrary, there are thousands of lines of code which process the METAR string, fill in missing data, perform interpolation, depiction processing, etc. In other words, why would we spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours on designing a private server system with accurate data and internal depiction processes only to leave it up to Random clouds? Obviously something is not working right on your setup, but please have patience we will get it working right.-Damian

Hi all,Ok, before this one gets more confusing..Everyone, we have TWO separate issues being confused here, being treated as one. This happens all the time, unfortunately...First issue as reported in the first thread post:Can't get OVC layers to show up thick enoughThis is partly an FS2004 problem, party due to when you have TOO MANY DETAIL OPTIONS turned on elsewhere and your weather draws are going to suffer, and FS9 may skip cloud draws instead of making the layer thick. Solution is to turn down detail options in FS (non-weather related) and/or turn down target framerate. Second issue reported somewhere in the middle of this thread:Clouds depicted in FS9 not matching at all with the reported METAR:This is usually due to user loading AS2004 AFTER already airborne, before a proper weather set can occur. But we are still investigating this, trying to get it duplicated. So far no luck in duplicating. Anyone experiencing this, please try NOT loading a flight plan in AS2004 and see if things improve. It may be isolated to a known issue with flight plans. Also, to those posting bug reports, please do make sure to START A NEW THREAD when reporting an issue. DO NOT jump in an existing thread. Most of the time when this happens, the issues, although seemingly related, have nothing to do with each other, and this causes much confusion for users and developers alike. Thanks so much for your support...Damian ClarkHiFi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSkyhttp://www.hifisim.comhttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004betateam.jpg

I always clear my weather in FSUIPC prior to flight then load AS2004 and sit on the ground for at least 5 mins to allow weather to generate and do other typical pre-takeoff stuff. My system is pretty high-end so I don't think I am maxing to much out (P4 2.6, 1GB ram, ATI 9800Pro), but I have tuned down some graphics in an attempt to resolve this problem with no luck. And I typically don't load a flight plan into AS2004, but at suggestions given here I have done all options (with flight plan, without flight plan, detailed clouds, less than detailed clouds, etc) and still the weather just has a mind of it's own. Is anyone complaining of this that is not running it remotely? Is Widefs the culprit?