ScottSchmidt said:
Does anyone have a good website showing cloud elevation / tops similar to how XM weather shows it?
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I use XM weather and have never seen anything about cloud tops on it. About the only way to know cloud tops would be through pilot reports.

XM weather does show precipitation tops of selected thunderstorm cells. Presumably they use geometry while the radar beam shoots at different elevations.

Through storm chasing I have found the XM precipitation tops do not agree well at all with other sources. A few days ago XM was typically showing around 20,000 to 25,000 feet (weak thunderstorms) while the coordination center using the same radar sites and GR Level3 software was showing about 10,000 feet higher. Which is closer? Who knows? I think the precipitation strength is a lot more useful piece of information.
 
Cloud Tops

I have found XMs cloud tops to be pretty useful. I think they are based on the satellite cloud top temps. I've seen the temp maps though various providers but I have not found a page that puts it terms of MSL.
 
zav6a said:
I have found XMs cloud tops to be pretty useful. I think they are based on the satellite cloud top temps...
Click to expand...
From the GXM 30A manual.

"Echo Tops are derived from NEXRAD radar and indicate the highest altitude at which precipitation is falling... Echo Tops can be helpful in determining the severity of thunderstorms."
 
Cloudsat Launched April 28, 2006 from VAFB

You can Google Cloudsat and learn what they are doing to lean more about clouds. The spacecraft was manufactured by Ball Aerospace and launched from the west coast last year. You would think pilots would benefit from it as was advertized in the justification but I haven't seen anything yet.

Bob Axsom
 
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