Every skydiver should learn how to read the weather, from ground winds to uppers, canopy winds to cloud layers, and whether a storm is building and what that could mean for the jump day.
At minimum, a skydiver should know:
- What’s the jump run likely to be?
- What are the uppers doing?
- What are the canopy winds doing?
- What’s happening on the ground?
If you’re not accustomed to showing up at the dropzone already having an idea of the jump run and ground winds, it’s time to start paying attention. Check the forecast before you head to the DZ. Predict the jump run, think about where you’re likely to open, then see how close you were.
Do it enough and you’ll stop blindly hopping on the plane and start understanding why the load is doing what it’s doing. That information matters, from deciding whether you should jump at all to knowing where you’re likely to open and what to expect under canopy. Here are a few apps to help with that.
Windy
Best for: The big picture
Windy is a great place to start because you can see a lot in one place: winds at different altitudes, clouds, rain and weather systems moving through.
You can also switch between forecast models, including ECMWF, GFS and others depending on your location. It’s especially useful when you’re trying to answer the first question of the day: Is it even worth driving to the DZ?
Winds Aloft by Mark Schulze
Best for: Upper winds
Mark Schulze’s Winds Aloft is a longtime favorite with U.S. skydivers because it’s simple and fast.
You can quickly see wind direction and speed at different altitudes, which helps you understand the jump run, spot, freefall drift and where you’re likely to open. Check it before you arrive and see if you can predict the jump run.
Funjumpr
Best for: Putting it all together
Funjumpr is built specifically for skydivers and pulls information you’d otherwise be bouncing between different tools to find.
It brings together weather and winds-aloft information, including data from tools like Windy and Mark Schulze, alongside FlightRadar24 information. It can also help predict jump run and lets you set your own wind limits.
If you don’t want five weather tabs open before every jump day, this is an easy place to start.
Different Countries, Different Tools
Travel and you’ll quickly find that every country, and sometimes every DZ, has its favorites.
In the U.S., you’ll hear about USAirNet. Across Europe, Windy and ECMWF are common, along with national aviation and weather services.
Don’t Trust One Forecast
Apps are forecasts. Compare a couple of sources, then look outside. Talk to the pilot. Watch the windsock. Look at where groups are opening and how canopies are moving across the ground.
Weather awareness is a necessary part of being a skydiver. The more you pay attention to it, the better you are at deciding whether a jump is the right call for you.
