Scenery shows through clouds- or is it fog?

[bjratchf 80]

 

I'm noticing this across multiple weather programs (rex skyforce, AS16 etc...) During certain low visibility conditions, scenery is visible through fog (maybe it is a cloud layer?). I'm on a GTX 1080 - using 388.71 (the latest) and don't remember this happening a few months ago. Just wondering if anyone else has gotten this, and if there is a fix, if any. This scenery was orbx SOCAL + KSAN. 

 

 

[vgbaron 3,486]

unless it a zero vis complete overcast situation, it is normal to get an occasional glimpse of the scenery.

 

Vic

[bjratchf 80]

well, ok- I'm trying to highlight perhaps a "bug" where in IMC conditions- scenery "bleeds through" clouds/fog and isn't masked by it. So for instance, on a FULL IMC approach - you'll see the "draws" of certain scenery objects, but not others. 

[b757 43]

As far back as I can remember, this has been happening. Seems to only happen with payware airports, at least on my system. 

[vgbaron 3,486]

Ireally think it's dependent on weather and viz. You can be full IMC but that doesn't mean you cannot occasionally spot the ground. If you are saying you see the ground ALL the time during a low vis approach, that may be something else.

Remember, the viz figure is both horizontal and vertical. If you have 1 mi viz and overcast at 5000 - you will see the ground about a mile hi.

You screen image looks normal to me.

Vic

[Mitch24 194]

Yeah I see this all the time too. It's normal, I don't really see it as a bug. Cool just be a limitation of the sim.

[bjratchf 80]

2 hours ago, vgbaron said:

Ireally think it's dependent on weather and viz. You can be full IMC but that doesn't mean you cannot occasionally spot the ground. If you are saying you see the ground ALL the time during a low vis approach, that may be something else.

Remember, the viz figure is both horizontal and vertical. If you have 1 mi viz and overcast at 5000 - you will see the ground about a mile hi.

You screen image looks normal to me.

Vic

Ok- I'm referring to the anomaly in the simulator where you can see certain scenery objects through clouds, as if the clouds didn't exist at all. I realize what you're referring to as well, but I'm trying to get at the simulator limitation I'm seeing, not the real life phenomenon of visibility. 

[fppilot 4,339]

3 hours ago, vgbaron said:

Remember, the viz figure is both horizontal and vertical. If you have 1 mi viz and overcast at 5000 - you will see the ground about a mile hi.

Not at all true. Reported surface visibility is strictly horizontal at surface level and has nothing at all to do with ceilings or cloud density.  You can see 3 mile visibility and have a solid 200 foot ceiling. And you can have 1/4 mile visibility with ground fog and an unobscured ceiling (Read my profile footnote below).  IMC is either/or.

[vgbaron 3,486]

13 minutes ago, fppilot said:

Not at all true. Reported surface visibility is strictly horizontal at surface level and has nothing at all to do with ceilings or cloud density.  You can see 3 mile visibility and have a solid 200 foot ceiling. And you can have 1/4 mile visibility with ground fog and an unobscured ceiling (Read my profile footnote below).  IMC is either/or.

You are correct Frank, for real life - but in the sim it does not hold true always - probably a limitation of the sim engine. I've had it both ways - I "think" it gets more accurate as you get closer to the airport.

Vic

[fppilot 4,339]

19 minutes ago, vgbaron said:

You are correct Frank, for real life - but in the sim it does not hold true - probably a limitation of the sim engine.

Vic

Then you need a better wx engine.  I am still in FSX and using FS Global Real Weather and am astounded at the real time accuracy.  I also use REX E+ cloud textures.  I at times see through overcasts, and those occurrences are highly realistic.

Umm. Have to go back to my original use of a quote in my earlier message.  I have not even once seen a situation where visibility was the same for horizontal visibility and vertical ceiling. Period. Not even when using real time FSX weather back in the day when it was active.  I cannot image that P3D has voided that history.  If that was true then it would be a huge issue for the entire P3D community. That horizontal to vertical relationship does not at all exist in the real world!

[vgbaron 3,486]

You may be right but I have seen it on more than one occasion. Never bothered to analyze it but it certainly appeared that way. Not something I was concerned with at the time. I honestly don't recall if I ever saw it with FSX but I have seen it in P3D with both the default wx and several other addon wx engines.

I brought it up as a possible cause for the op's issue. I'll pay more attention now to see if I still see it. I'm guessing you are correct and what I saw was a fluke but now I am curious.

Vic

[geolpilot 88]

I think the OP is more concerned with those black parts of structures showing strongly through the cloud (definitely not normal), rather than the general overall faded visible ground (that seems normal to me). Looking at these black parts they all seem to be shadows of taller buildings (lower buildings anomaly is not so apparent or absent). It appears the OP has buildings set to cast shadows, and this may be a problem. I have never seen this as I have not set buildings to cast shadows. So maybe the OP can check this sometime. Possibly also delete the shaders and let them rebuild as this could also be a possible source of the problem if others are not seeing this with autogen buildings casting shadows set to on.

[pete_auau 1,152]

https://www.realenvironmentxtreme.com/forums/index.php?/topic/46474-airport-visible-through-clouds/&page=2

[vgbaron 3,486]

12 hours ago, geolpilot said:

I think the OP is more concerned with those black parts of structures showing strongly through the cloud (definitely not normal), rather than the general overall faded visible ground (that seems normal to me).

DOH! You are right. Completely missed that. It is NOT normal for those to show through.

Vic