On the Radar

Namibia - Soaring Weather API

Namibia coverage is on the radar. The world-class Bitterwasser and Pokweni desert thermal flying - one of the strongest convective environments in the world for cross-country gliding.

See live coverage

Planned specifications

ModelWRF (planned) - source model under evaluation
Target resolution4 km target
Regioncentral Namibia and the surrounding desert plateau
Update cadence4× daily - same contract as live regions
API contractSame JSON shape as live regions
TimeframeOn the radar
StatusOn the Radar

What Namibia coverage will include

Same JSON contract as live regions. Final field list confirmed when Namibia goes live.

Thermal Strength

wstar_ms - thermal updraft velocity in m/s

Soaring Height

hglider_agl_m + hglider_msl_m - usable thermalling height

Cloudbase

cloudbase_agl_ft + cloudbase_msl_m, Cu potential, OD risk

Wind

surface_wind_* plus wind_925_*, wind_850_*, wind_800_*, wind_700_*

Trigger Temperature

thermal_trigger_temp_c - surface temperature at which thermals fire

Day Rating

day_rating - poor, marginal, fair, good, excellent

Corridor Sampling

Weather along a route - time-aware available

Sounding Profile

Full vertical profile - temp, dewpoint, wind

About soaring weather in Namibia

Namibian summer thermal flying produces some of the strongest sustained convection anywhere. The classic Bitterwasser and Pokweni weeks regularly see thermal heights above 4500 m and wstar values that rewrite anyone's assumptions about thermal strength. The forecast job is largely about cloudbase, day rating and trigger temperature.

It is a small country in soaring terms compared to the US or Australia, but the value-per-pilot is high. Most of the people flying out of Namibia have flown a long way to get there and the cost of a wasted day is significant. Forecast quality matters.

Day-window and sounding labels would use Africa/Windhoek.

Want Namibia coverage next?

Join the waitlist. We email when Namibia goes live, and waitlist demand drives launch order.

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