I have been having issues with how AS is creating cloud layers aqnd weather in general in my area (New England). I had not been using Fs9 much since around Christmas, but in the last week I have been using it a bunch and I have had some AS issues each flight. The problem is simple. Every station in the region can be reporting low IFR with OVC included in each METAR. Despite that I run into wide-open areas of clear sky between reporting stations. I am only getting IFR conditions in the immediate area around each airport even when multiple states are all low IFR according to the downloaded WX data.Is there a setting that I have screwed up? -Douglas//AS2004.5 configuration file B163[General]WindowPosX = 4185WindowPosY = 2655DefaultWeatherFolder = C:Program FilesMicrosoft GamesFlight Simulator 9ModulesActiveSky2004SuppressionCeiling = 4000SurfaceWindLimit = 10CloudLayerLimit = 5LocalSuppressionRange = 150MinimumVisibility = 0MaximumVisibility = 59IncreasedWake = FalseDisableWindsAloft = FalseForceTstormsWithCB = FalseAutoConvertPlanFiles = TrueDisableVisGraduation = FalseForceDestinationWeatherZone = TruePreventIcing = TrueOnlineUpdates = TrueExtendedDestinationWindsForce = FalseGlobalWrites = FalseDepictFS9HazeLayer = TrueExtendTstormLayers = FalseDisableDirectWindControl = FalseVoicePlayback = TrueLocalSuppression = TrueStartupSound = FalseDisableGroundUpdates = FalseUseProxyServer = FalseFogLayerGeneration = TrueUpdateSuppression = TrueOvercastEnhancement = TrueIgnoreFSReadyStatus = FalseFSUIPCWindSmoothing = TrueLimitSurfaceWinds = FalseLimitCloudLayers = TrueAutoGlobalWriteToggle = TrueRainWithTS = FalseDisableUpperLayerGeneration = FalseVisibilitySmoothing = TrueDisableMessages = TrueAutoTimeZoneDetection = TrueUpdateInterval = 30VATSIMData = FalseZuluConversion = -5AloftPredictability = 100WindDriftRate = 0TAFProcessing = FalseEnforceVisibilityLimits = TrueWakeTurb = TrueStartPaused = TrueUseSystemTime = TrueDisableCAVOKClouds = FalseProxyAddress = NONELastPlanFolder = C:Documents and SettingsDouglas McMullinMy DocumentsFlight Simulator Files

Hi Douglas.Three suggestions:Lower your supression range to 100Turn Off ForceDestinationWeatherZoneMake sure your framerates are locked at a low enough valuePlease let us know!Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004proudsupporter.jpg

Will test those options.Douglas

Suppression range set to 100.Turned off ForceDestinationWeatherZoneTried locking FPS at 30, 25, 20, & 15Same exact results. Great low IFR at airport and vast areas of clear sky en-route. It is not entirely clear (there are some scattered mid level clouds and cirrus above), but very large areas (20-30sq miles or more) are completely free of any kind of overcast. Will include system info, but I don

Hi,It will not be exact, but when this happens, please post the METAR and describe the cloud conditions. Really not sure about the VV symbol for AS.Have you installed/uninstalled any cloud textures lately?Here is what VV means:An indefinate ceiling caused by fog, rain, snow, etc., will require a designator as VV (Vertical Visibility). VV is the how high you can see vertically into the indefinate ceiling.Based on that, I would say that AS/FS cannot visualize this.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004proudsupporter.jpg

The problem there is many airports use VV (vertical visibility) to describe low overcast (in this case below we have fog making it impossible for the ground sensors to read anything above 100'), as it is more accurate in particular when there is precip. When this is used OVC will not be present even though it is super low overcast. As a pilot when I see VV01 I start planning on landing at my alternate.As an example the METAR for KBOS 270315Z 36019G28KT 1/4SM R04R/1200V2000FT FZFG VV01 M05/M06 A3000.So here we have visibility of 1/4sm (runway 4R RVR also included) and vertical visibility (VV) of 100 feet. The odd thing is that other airports around KBOS (BED, BVY, LWM, MHT, PSM) all have OVC listed at the same time, but it seems maybe the Boston METAR is screwing things up since the area all around Boston even out to these other locations is only 50% overcast in FS9. I have seen the same thing at other locations.If I have a chance I will try and get a screen shot with matching METARS for that area.Douglas

Yes, you are doing well in your reasonings. The KBOS METAR has no OVC so no thick layer of clouds. Of course the runway data is not used at all for us. The freezing fog must not be fun in real life and means nothing to FS. So what we have are multiple stations in an area and AS blends all the data unless you are in the 2 mile radius of a station. This could be why you are seeing what you are seeing.Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004proudsupporter.jpg

Might be something to put on the list of future tweaks. It would be nice if AS could read and set WX using VV when present (though perhaps that is not possible). With a few exceptions (advection or radiation fog for example) the presence of VV in a METAR usually means there is an overcast layer right at the surface. In cases where the precipitation is heavy enough to cause a VV indication you can bet not far above is an OVC layer at least 4000

Question. I frequently saved WX that allows me to use FS9 for instrument practice. I want low IFR and that will frequently mean that plenty of airports where I practice will have VV in place of OVC. Would it be possible for me to edit one or two saved WX files and add overcast to a handful of airports (ones that have VV currently)?Douglas

Hi,You can open the archive with a text editor (Wordpad) and search for the necessay METARs and add the layer. Make sure to do that for a wide enough area.Not sure if we could take a VV and internally convert it to a cloud layer and then send it to FS. I guess it's something for the future!Hope this helps,JimActiveSky Supporthttp://www.hifisim.com/images/as2004proudsupporter.jpg

Ok thanks for that info. I did go edit one of the files and I will test it out when I get a chance. If that works I will be in great shape.I appreciate the help. Yeah having AS process VV would be nifty option if it were possible for the future.DouglasEDIT: In particular the VV interpretation would be handy right now! KBOS, KMHT, KPVD, KLGA, KJFK and pretty much all-major airports in New England are reporting VV of under 500

Changing the files seems to do the trick. I definitely think trying to add a solution for VV would be a good idea. I just tried a flight with live weather from Maine to New York and 3/4 of the metars include VV rather than OVC. Most of the route was VFR despite there being a major snowstorm covering almost the entire region (and low IFR along the entire route I flew. Metars along the route... all using VV due to snow and low fog:METAR KBGR 231453Z 36021G28KT 1/4SM +SN VV007 M19/M22 A2991 RMK AO2METAR KAUG 231453Z AUTO 01018G26KT 1/2SM SN VV011 M18/M21 A2986 RMK METAR KPWM 231451Z 01021G35KT 1SM SN VV004 M16/M19 A2978 RMK AO2 PKMETAR KBVY 231453Z 36020G27KT 1/4SM FZFG VV001 M13/M15 A2963 RMK AO2 METAR KBOS 231454Z 36028G35KT M1/4SM +SN BLSN FZFG VV001 M12/M14 A2962 METAR KBED 231456Z 01019G30KT 3/4SM R11/3000V3500FT BR VV004 M13/M14METAR KOWD 231453Z AUTO 02015G27KT 1/4SM FZFG VV001 M12/M13 A2961METAR KTAN 231452Z AUTO 36023G31KT M1/4SM FZFG VV001 M09/M11 A2949METAR KEWB 231453Z 01021G31KT 1/2SM -SN FZFG VV002 M07/M09 A2943 RMKMETAR KPVD 231451Z 36026G40KT 1/2SM -SN BLSN FZFG VV002 M11/M12 A2952 METAR KWST 231453Z AUTO 01024G38KT 1/4SM +SN FZFG VV010 M10/M12SPECI KIJD 231501Z AUTO 36019G26KT 3/4SM -SN VV015 M10/M14 A2960 RMKMETAR KGON 231456Z AUTO 01023G33KT 3/4SM -SN BR VV006 M10/M12 A2951METAR KFOK 231453Z 36021G32KT 1/4SM SN BLSN FZFG VV002 M08/M10 A2955METAR KHWV 231456Z AUTO 35014G24KT 3/4SM BR VV005 M08/M11 A2959 RMKMETAR KISP 231456Z 36022G32KT 1/4SM SN BLSN FZFG VV004 M08/M09 A2957