Live Weather fix now implemented

[MrBitstFlyer 3,873]

45 minutes ago, Tuskin38 said:

But not accurate to METAR conditions, which a lot of people were complaining about as it screwed up flight planning. That's why Asobo changed it.

It will be wonderful when the sky follows the METAR in MSFS Live Weather, but it just doesn't.  These images from a few minutes ago at KJFK RWY 22R

METAR

MSFS WEATHER - Low Cumulus!

REX Weather with accurate high level broken cloud.

I think we would all agree that a mix of METAR and MODEL data with no transitions would be perfect.  What we have now is a weather system that does not always create accurate weather for different reasons.  I fly mostly low level so a METAR like the image above means my flight planning would enable me to fly VFR.  However, if I loaded MSFS and saw low level cumulus like above, my flight planning is no good.  My alternative is to load REX and have accurate cloud levels.

Other people of course have other priorities, so maybe REX doesn't fit their type of flying.  I really have my fingers crossed MS/Asobo do deliver an accurate mix of METAR and MODEL data with no transitions - this would be fantastic.

[MrBitstFlyer 3,873]

55 minutes ago, Dillon said:

...when the weather engine is working as it should

This is the issue.  I am not implying REX is better in all circumstances and for all people.

[marsman2020 1,310]

10 minutes ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

It will be wonderful when the sky follows the METAR in MSFS Live Weather, but it just doesn't.  These images from a few minutes ago at KJFK RWY 22R

METAR

MSFS WEATHER - Low Cumulus!

REX Weather with accurate high level broken cloud.

I think we would all agree that a mix of METAR and MODEL data with no transitions would be perfect.  What we have now is a weather system that does not always create accurate weather for different reasons.  I fly mostly low level so a METAR like the image above means my flight planning would enable me to fly VFR.  However, if I loaded MSFS and saw low level cumulus like above, my flight planning is no good.  My alternative is to load REX and have accurate cloud levels.

Other people of course have other priorities, so maybe REX doesn't fit their type of flying.  I really have my fingers crossed MS/Asobo do deliver an accurate mix of METAR and MODEL data with no transitions - this would be fantastic.

If you are flying the release version and not the beta, depending on the elevation of this airport this could be because METAR data is in AGL but the sim thinks it is in MSL.

For some reason Asobo has real problem with frames of reference when it comes to the weather.    This already happened in the past with temperatures from tbe Meteoblue data being applied incorrectly.  Now the same mistake with the METAR data.  You'd think they would learn these things after making the mistake the first time.  But instead we get blank stares and blinks in the Q&A before Jorg makes some useless remark about secret new features coming soon!

[March Hare 720]

Talking about getting REX in to sort the weather out... I don't think they would be of help, because as far as I understand it, REX is doing nothing in terms of rendering, so those more accurate clouds are still being rendered by Asobo's engine. I may be wrong in some way, but it appears that REX makes adjustments the same way you can using the built-in preset slider values, but it makes those adjustments in real time, based on weather data coming from their own servers. And that is only METAR data, I believe... So the issue Asobo appear to be facing has nothing to do with rendering, but potentially with the quality of data received into the simulator, coming from the Meteoblue servers, combined perhaps with some bugs, and trying also to blend METAR with the global forecasting model/data that serves the rest of the globe outside the scope of METAR (something REX doesn't provide). So, all Asobo need, in my opinion, is not to have someone else come in to somehow "save the day", but to keep on working on any bugs and establishing better data input in partnership with Meteoblue (a partnership that would prevent them switching to someone else's, like REX's, data servers anyway).

Also, regarding comments that Asobo don't understand things like the difference between AGL and MSL, I don't see that anyone has proven such claims, and it seems more likely to me (considering a company like Meteoblue is collaborating on weather) that things like that are simply (and I hesitate to suggest that anything about it is really simple) bugs in the code, not lack of knowledge, with unexpected results occurring from such things as variable values getting confuddled by genuine mistakes, bits of code incorrectly interacting with other bits of code, etc.

So, I'm just riding out the storm, so to speak, and keeping the faith in Asobo and the improvement of their complex systems, already in collaboration with weather experts Meteoblue.

Edited January 4, 2022 by March Hare

[scotchegg 4,186]

I have to agree that in most flights I do in the SU7 beta, clouds are of one type and at the wrong height. Clinging to hope that this is just a teething problem with metar incorporation.

[craigeaglefire 197]

4 hours ago, scotchegg said:

Clinging to hope

Que sera sera…

[Dominique_K 10,144]

14 hours ago, pmb said:

As far as I recall, METARs were introduced in response to several people finding the MSFS real weather not appropriate or not 1:1 to what they see from their window etc. That's one more example I recall before voting for changes which might not always turn out to be to the better.

Kind regards, Michael

So very true

[Ricardo41 5,949]

14 hours ago, pmb said:

As far as I recall, METARs were introduced in response to several people finding the MSFS real weather not appropriate or not 1:1 to what they see from their window etc. That's one more example I recall before voting for changes which might not always turn out to be to the better.

Kind regards, Michael

I've commented many times that - given that I live relatively close to my home airport - looking out the window and seeing one kind of weather, then looking at the sim and seeing something totally different, is a huge immersion killer for me.

Other people have other priorities, don't care about live weather and prefer presets, whatever.

Sometimes REX looks and feels better, sometimes MSFS; over the past months,  MSFS weather depiction has become better.

Sure, it's not perfect, yet, but unlike some other folks I don't get bent out of shape or call for long range missiles to be launched because OMIGOD LIVE WEATHER IS DOWN.

Btw, the last week or so I've had a number of terrifically atmospheric flights with REX Weather Force and the Kodiak 100.

[SubtotalGuide 133]

14 hours ago, Tuskin38 said:

But not accurate to METAR conditions, which a lot of people were complaining about as it screwed up flight planning. That's why Asobo changed it.

and how accurate would you say it's now?

[marsman2020 1,310]

I flew from Los Angeles up the coast through Alaska and over to Japan in late 2020 doing my around the world flight and the original weather implementation before SU4/5 was correct to METAR most of the time.  Large cloud formations were even roughly where they showed up on Meteoblue's website.

Personally I think they should have worked with Meteoblue to solve the issues first instead of ingesting the METAR.  

For example, spool up extra compute power on Azure so Meteoblue's model could be run 4 or 8 times a day instead of the 2 times a day we believe it gets run, which would improve accuracy since the weather is most likely to be wrong in hour 12 just before the next model run.

Or have Meteoblue create a new model just for MSFS that runs every half hour and uses the METAR as boundary conditions for the model.

Or ingest the METAR server side instead of on our PCs and use Azure compute to better smooth it into the rest of the weather.

Weather and night lighting are two areas where our feedback has resulted in things being worse.  

Edited January 6, 2022 by marsman2020

[SubtotalGuide 133]

I suspect Microsoft is looking for ways to cut costs to the Meteoblue weather service. Using METAR is a cheap alternative and they can say it's what the community wanted.

[Tuskin38 6,491]

I've got my first thunderstorm since the new system went live with SU7. I tried several times at airports reporting TS's since Su7 launched, this is the first time I've actually seen lightning.

 

Edited January 6, 2022 by Tuskin38

[MrBitstFlyer 3,873]

On 1/4/2022 at 9:46 PM, Dillon said:

As is said, 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder'.  The improvements in the sky color and feel of the colors of the sky has been greatly improved with SU7 and using the beta works well when the weather engine is working as it should.  I wish I had a shot when I was flying out of KANE the other day where it was morning, snow on the ground, and a mist that hung low over the ground about 200ft with clear skies.  It was an exact picture of a late December/January sub zero day in real life when I used to live there.  SU7 brought a low hanging haze/fog/mist effect that was fully realized in the SU7 beta. There is no way I want to go back before this change.  REX can't utilize that feature yet.  San Diego had the fog ever so slightly mixed in with broken clouds 1,000ft above the ground the other day.  The mist was mixed in exactly to the clouds, amazing to look at.  I hope Asobo keeps developing this because some of us would rather go back or use something that doesn't fully represent the sky in the way it's possible now.  Yes metar information might need to be implemented better in certain circumstances but they are on the right track hands down.

As I haven't had any of the issues you outlined where the default weather works sometime and then it doesn't, what area in the world do you usually fly?  FS seems to really shine in the western world leaving other areas lagging on the ground and in the air I guess.

I fly 90% in the western world and most of that is the USA.  

[March Hare 720]

1 hour ago, SubtotalGuide said:

I suspect Microsoft is looking for ways to cut costs to the Meteoblue weather service. Using METAR is a cheap alternative and they can say it's what the community wanted.

It is what the community wanted, and the Meteoblue service is still running concurrently... Besides, who's to say the METAR data isn't coming via Meteoblue? I don't see any logic in this theory...

[SubtotalGuide 133]

METAR data is free to download compared to expensive forecast modelling. They already put out a patch note not that long ago about reducing weather bandwidth resulting in fewer cloud types. This is just the next step.

Edited January 6, 2022 by SubtotalGuide