Stay Ahead of the Weather on Winter Cross-Countries
Winter brings low cloud and fog: check all weather sources for the right times, re-check before heading home, and decide early to turn back or divert.
1 min readKapiti Aero Club safety team
Winter can be a great time to fly, but it also brings extra weather challenges: low cloud, fog, and those sneaky conditions that never showed up in the forecast.
If you're heading out on a cross-country, check the right weather for the right time. Check validity periods and use everything available: TAFs, METARs, GRAFORs, webcams – even a quick call to someone on the ground at your destination can help.
Just as important, check the weather again before you head home. Things can change while you're on the ground having that cuppa.
Forecasts are sometimes wrong – what matters is how you respond. If things start to look questionable, make the decision early. Don't wait until you're committed.
"Get-home-itis" has caught out plenty of good pilots. Turning back or diverting early is always safer than pushing on and hoping it'll improve.