WMO Technical Note No. 203 (WMO-No. 1038), "Weather Forecasting for Soaring Flight," establishes international standards for predicting atmospheric conditions crucial for non-powered aviation. Published in 2009, this guide details methods for forecasting thermal, ridge, and lee wave lift using advanced numerical weather prediction models and GPS data validation. For more information, visit the WMO documentation at community.wmo.int . Handbook of meteorological forecasting for soaring flight
The publication includes several now-classic diagrams: WMO Technical Note No
In 1984, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published a seminal work that bridged the gap between academic meteorology and competitive soaring: Technical Note No. 203: Weather Forecasting for Soaring Flight . Despite being decades old, this document remains the foundational textbook for cross-country gliding meteorology. This article deconstructs the core principles of Note No. 203, translating its dense technical language into practical wisdom for modern pilots and forecasters. Published in 2009, this guide details methods for
The technical note includes three anonymized case studies, which we summarize here for modern application. 203: Weather Forecasting for Soaring Flight
While WMO TN No. 203 is now superseded by newer WMO guidance (e.g., in the Manual on Aeronautical Meteorological Services , Doc 8896, and specific training material for gliding meteorology), its core concepts remain valid:
While the synoptic chart tells you where to fly, the mesoscale (10-100 km) tells you if you can fly. No. 203 introduces techniques that were revolutionary in 1984 but are now the basis of modern gliding forecasts.