Testing Live Weather and Winter Wonders Along the Way

In Microsoft Flight Simulator you can work your way through all kinds of icy scenarios.

Friday, February 09, 2024 at 07:39 PM ET

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This could be an ad for Air Canada. What a scenery feast. Partially frozen waters with glaciers and snow-covered cliffs. Unbelievably beautiful. [Courtesy: Peter James]

Key Takeaways:

The author enjoys flight simulating, especially in winter, and uses real-world weather data from ForeFlight to test the realism of flight simulators.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS2020) is highlighted as currently providing the most accurate live weather depiction compared to X-Plane 12, with impressive realism in altimeter, visibility, clouds, and precipitation.
The article details several immersive winter flights in MSFS2020, showcasing its ability to realistically simulate conditions like lake-effect snow in Cleveland, high winds in the Dakotas, challenging visual approaches in mountainous terrain like Revelstoke, and diverse weather in Juneau, Alaska.
MSFS2020 offers a highly realistic and adventurous platform for experiencing varied winter flying conditions, complete with accurate environmental effects such as wind shear, terrain-induced wind flow, and icing.

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With winter gripping most of the country, it’s one of my most favorite times to sim fly. Actually, that’s a lie. All seasons are fun. However, winter does hold that special, adventurous spirit the other seasons sometimes seem to lack.

I am often inspired by the real locations and weather I experience when I am on a real work trip. With ForeFlight by my side, it’s fun to test the realism of the sims and how they’re interpreting live weather worldwide. Both X-Plane 12 (XP12) and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS2020) do a pretty good job of keeping up with it and both have shown continual improvements. It seems each month the message forums are showcasing live weather questions, observations, frustrations, and praise.