4.4 Weather overlays
Display weather overlays
Android Apple
Select Weather Overlays to see the weather layers available for the map.
INFO
You can display multiple static overlays at the same time, but only one animated overlay.
Animated weather overlays
Android Apple
Display animated weather overlays
Select an animated layer under Weather Overlays. Only one animated layer can be displayed at a time.
Use the controls at the bottom of the map to play the loop, pause it, or step backwards and forwards.
Android and Apple
The time of the displayed frame appears in the bottom-left corner.
WARNING
A mobile or Wi-Fi data connection is required to retrieve animated overlays in flight.
Weather radar
Weather RADAR loops radar frames from the previous hour and refreshes about every five minutes. The display can be approximately 5–10 minutes behind actual precipitation.
Apple
Select the frame time to open the radar legend.
See Interpret weather radar colours for the regional legends used across Android, Apple and Web.
Other animated overlays
The shared options are:
- Infrared Satellite
- Surface Pressure Forecast
- Freezing Level Forecast
- Cloud Ceilings Forecast
- Visibility Forecast
- Mid Level SIGWX
- High Level SIGWX
- Australian Echo Tops Forecast
INFO
SIGWX and Australian Echo Tops forecasts require a Plus or Premium subscription. The Bureau of Meteorology provides a SIGWX interpretation guide.
WARNING
The Echo Tops overlay is not available for New Zealand.
Interpret weather radar colours
Android Apple Web
Use the legend for the region shown on the map. Higher reflectivity values, measured in dBZ, generally indicate stronger radar returns and heavier precipitation.
INFO
Rain rates are estimates. Hail and very strong radar returns can make the rain-rate equivalent unreliable.
Australia
Estimated rain rate
0.07 mm/h5.6 mm/h865 mm/h
Reference values
| Colour | Reflectivity | Estimated rain rate | Typical interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Translucent pale green | 5 dBZ | 0.07 mm/h (< 0.01 in/h) | Trace accumulation or mist |
| Light green | 10 dBZ | 0.15 mm/h (< 0.01 in/h) | Trace accumulation or mist |
| Green | 15 dBZ | 0.3 mm/h (0.01 in/h) | Trace accumulation |
| Dark green | 20 dBZ | 0.6 mm/h (0.02 in/h) | Light rain |
| Deep green | 25 dBZ | 1.3 mm/h (0.05 in/h) | Light rain |
| Very dark green | 30 dBZ | 2.7 mm/h (0.10 in/h) | Light to moderate rain |
| Yellow | 35 dBZ | 5.6 mm/h (0.22 in/h) | Moderate rain |
| Amber | 40 dBZ | 11.53 mm/h (0.45 in/h) | Moderate to heavy rain |
| Orange-brown | 45 dBZ | 23.7 mm/h (0.92 in/h) | Heavy rain |
| Red | 50 dBZ | 48.6 mm/h (1.90 in/h) | Heavy rain, small hail possible |
| Dark red | 55 dBZ | 100 mm/h (4 in/h) | Very heavy rain, hail possible. |
| Deep red | 60 dBZ | 205 mm/h (8 in/h) | Very heavy rain, hail likely. |
| Magenta | 65 dBZ | 421 mm/h (16.6 in/h) | Very heavy rain, hail very likely, large hail possible. |
| Violet | 70 dBZ | 865 mm/h (34.0 in/h) | Giant hail likely. Rain-rate estimate may be unreliable. |
| White | 75 dBZ | Not reliable | Giant hail likely or radar range folding. No reliable rain-rate equivalent. |
New Zealand (MetService)
Reflectivity (dBZ)
01620304045505560> 72
LightModerateHeavyHail possible
Reference values
| Reflectivity | Estimated rain rate |
|---|---|
| 0 dBZ | 0.04 mm/h (<0.01 in/h) |
| 16 dBZ | 0.36 mm/h (0.01 in/h) |
| 20 dBZ | 0.65 mm/h (0.03 in/h) |
| 30 dBZ | 2.73 mm/h (0.11 in/h) |
| 40 dBZ | 11.5 mm/h (0.45 in/h) |
| 45 dBZ | 23.7 mm/h (0.93 in/h) |
| 50 dBZ | 48.6 mm/h (1.91 in/h) |
| 55 dBZ | 99.9 mm/h (3.93 in/h) |
| 60 dBZ | 205 mm/h (8.07 in/h) |
| > 72 dBZ | >1,150 mm/h (>45.4 in/h) |
Intensity categories
| Intensity | Approximate reflectivity | Estimated rain rate | Expected conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 0–<20 dBZ | 0.04–<0.65 mm/h (<0.01–<0.03 in/h) | Trace precipitation, mist, or light rain |
| Moderate | 20–<40 dBZ | 0.65–<11.5 mm/h (0.03–<0.45 in/h) | Light to moderate rain; heavy near the upper end |
| Heavy | 40–<50 dBZ | 11.5–<48.6 mm/h (0.45–<1.91 in/h) | Moderate-to-heavy or heavy rain |
| Hail possible | ≥50 dBZ | ≥48.6 mm/h (≥1.91 in/h) | Very heavy rain; hail possible. Rain-rate estimates may be unreliable when hail is present. |
Rest of world
Estimated rain rate
0.07 mm/h5.6 mm/h865 mm/h
Reference values
| Colour | Reflectivity | Estimated rain rate | Typical interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyan | 0 dBZ | 0.07 mm/h (< 0.01 in/h) | Trace accumulation or mist |
| Dark blue | 7 dBZ | 0.07 mm/h (< 0.01 in/h) | Trace accumulation or mist |
| Teal | 13.5 dBZ | 0.3 mm/h (0.01 in/h) | Trace accumulation |
| Bright green | 20.5 dBZ | 0.6 mm/h (0.02 in/h) | Light rain |
| Green | 27 dBZ | 1.3 mm/h (0.05 in/h) | Light rain |
| Yellow-green | 34 dBZ | 5.6 mm/h (0.22 in/h) | Moderate rain |
| Yellow | 40.5 dBZ | 11.53 mm/h (0.45 in/h) | Moderate to heavy rain |
| Orange | 47.5 dBZ | 48.6 mm/h (1.90 in/h) | Heavy rain, small hail possible |
| Red | 54 dBZ | 100 mm/h (4 in/h) | Very heavy rain, hail possible. |
| Dark red | 61 dBZ | 205 mm/h (8 in/h) | Very heavy rain, hail likely. |
| Dark magenta | 67.5 dBZ | 865 mm/h (34.0 in/h) | Giant hail likely. Rain-rate estimate may be unreliable. |
| Dark purple | 74.5 dBZ | Not reliable | Giant hail likely or radar range folding. No reliable rain-rate equivalent. |
| Near-black purple | 81 dBZ | Not reliable | Giant hail likely or radar range folding. No reliable rain-rate equivalent. |
| Grey | 88 dBZ | Not reliable | Giant hail likely or radar range folding. No reliable rain-rate equivalent. |
| Light grey | 94.5 dBZ | Not reliable | Giant hail likely or radar range folding. No reliable rain-rate equivalent. |
Static weather overlays
Android Apple
Display static weather overlays
Select Weather Overlays, then choose one or more options under Static Weather Overlays. AvPlan EFB remembers the selected static layers when it next starts.
Apple
INFO
Ceilings and visibility forecasts require a Premium or Pro subscription on Android, or a Plus or Premium subscription on Apple.
METARs
METAR icons include a wind indicator and use these flight-category colours:
| Green | VFR | Visibility greater than 8 km | Cloud above 3,000 ft AGL |
| Blue | Marginal VFR | Visibility greater than 5 km | Cloud above 1,000 ft AGL |
| Yellow | IFR | Visibility greater than 1,600 m | Cloud above 500 ft AGL |
| Red | Low IFR | Visibility below 1,600 m | Cloud below 500 ft AGL |
| Grey | No visibility or cloud information |
The vector points towards the upwind side of the station. Each full feather represents 10 kt of maximum wind, including gusts; a half feather represents 5 kt. SPECI reports use a red wind vector.
Select a METAR icon to view the report, then select its text to view the plain-language interpretation. Reports refresh in the background while the map is panned.
Apple
SIGMETs and AIRMETs
Select a SIGMET identifier to view its text and highlight its boundary in red.
The overlays use these colours:
- severe turbulence SIGMETs: orange
- severe icing SIGMETs: blue
- AIRMETs: purple.
Lightning
Lightning shows satellite-detected strikes from the previous 10 minutes and updates every few seconds while the device is online.
Android and Apple
Apple
Pilot weather reports
PIREP overlays are unavailable on Android.
Weather cameras
Apple
Camera icons use the METAR colour when a camera is co-located with a reporting station.
Apple
- Select a camera icon.
- If the site has more than one camera, select a direction at the top of the image to change view.
- Select Details to open waypoint details, or METAR to open the station report when available.
Apple
Pilot weather reports
Apple
Enabling Pilot Weather Reports displays PIREPs (otherwise known as Pilot REPorts) on the map.
PIREPs are a valuable way of communicating real in-flight observations to other AvPlan EFB users.
A PIREP will be visible for two hours after submission. To read more about submitting a PIREP, refer to Submitting PIREPs.
When the Pilot Weather Reports option is turned on, PIREPs appear on the map in the position they were submitted.
Apple
Double-tapping the icon will expand the PIREP to display its full details:
Apple
The following required information will be included:
| UA or UUA | used to identify the PIREP as routine (UA) or urgent (UUA) |
| /OV | location of the PIREP |
| /TM | time the PIREP was received from the pilot |
| /FL | flight level or altitude above sea level at the time the PIREP is filed |
| /TP | aircraft type |
optional info to be reported and displayed:
| /SK | sky cover |
| /TA | temperature |
| /WV | wind velocity |
| /TB | turbulence |
| /IC | icing |
| /RM | remarks |
Each PIREP will be accompanied by the following icon:
| Turbulence: | |
Apple | Nil turbulence |
Apple | Smooth/light turbulence |
Apple | Light turbulence |
Apple | Light to moderate turbulence |
Apple | Moderate turbulence |
Apple | Moderate to severe turbulence |
Apple | Severe turbulence |
Apple | Extreme turbulence |
| Icing: | |
Apple | Nil icing |
Apple | Trace icing |
Apple | Trace to light icing |
Apple | Light icing |
Apple | Light to moderate icing |
Apple | Moderate icing |
Apple | Moderate to severe icing |
Apple | Severe icing |
To return the PIREP to its compact view, simply double-tap it again.
INFO
An active data connection (e.g. a 4G network or WiFi hotspot) is required to send or receive PIREPs.
For further information about how to read PIREPs, visit: www.m0a.com/how-to-read-pireps/
Display the New Zealand GRAFOR overlay
Web
The GRAFOR overlay displays New Zealand cloud and surface-visibility forecast areas, weather fronts and freezing-level information on the En Route map. It is available when the New Zealand data region is active and refreshes automatically about every five minutes while enabled. New Zealand rain radar is available separately under Overlays > Weather > Weather Radar.
- Open En Route.
- Select Overlays > Weather > GRAFOR.
- Expand Controls and check GRAFOR Period. When more than one period is available, use the previous and next buttons to choose the required forecast validity period.
- Select a shaded forecast area or weather front. If several items are available at that point, select the required GRAFOR item from the list.
- Review the Active and Until times. An amended forecast is labelled AMD and an expired forecast is labelled EXPIRED.
- For a forecast area, review the decoded cloud, surface visibility and weather details. For a front, review the displayed front details.
- Select View to open the original GRAFOR chart for the selected validity period.
WARNING
Confirm that the displayed GRAFOR period covers the intended flight time. The overlay is a review aid and does not replace a full current briefing.
Weather and Airspace Details
Web
Weather and airspace popovers show detailed information for selected map items.
Weather Details
- Select a METAR marker to view METAR and TAF information where available.
- Select a GAF area to view graphical area forecast details.
- Use View on GAF details to open the original GAF when available.
- Select a GRAFOR forecast area or front to review its decoded details. Use View to open the original GRAFOR chart.
- Select SIGMET areas or point markers to review SIGMET details. Point observations appear as markers rather than circular boundaries.
- Select Cameras to open camera feeds and playback controls where available.
WARNING
A Premium GoPreFlight account is required to view SIGMETs in New Zealand on AvPlan Web. Add and verify the account under Pilot profiles.
View New Zealand SIGMETs
- Add and verify a Premium GoPreFlight account under Pilot profiles.
- Open En Route, then select Overlays > Weather > SIGMETs.
- Select a SIGMET area or point marker to review its details.
Airspace Details
- Select a PRD area to review status, schedule, levels, and activity text.
- Select a NOTAM area to review NOTAM text.
- Use copy buttons where available to copy NOTAM or weather details.
- Expand Current NOTAMs for PRD areas when available.
Briefing Map Details
- Items opened from route briefing can appear on En Route with briefing details.
- Use Back and Next to step through briefing map items when a sequence is active.
- Mark NOTAMs Read or Unread, or add notes, where those actions are available.
WARNING
Always check the full current briefing before flight. Map popovers are a review aid, not a replacement for official briefing checks.