Weather Guides

Learn how forecast models, ensembles, pressure systems, storms and UV radiation actually work, written by the team behind the forecast maps and tools on ngmeteo.com.

Isobars and wind overlays

Turn on isobars and wind arrows on ngmeteo.com to see pressure patterns and flow on top of rain, temperature or UV layers.

Temperature at different levels

Switch between 2 m, 850 hPa and 500 hPa temperature on ngmeteo.com to separate ground frost, hill fog and upper-level warmth driving the pattern.

Geopotential height at 500 hPa

Use the geopotential and 500 hPa temperature layers on ngmeteo.com to spot ridges, troughs and the upper flow that steers surface weather.

Forecast timeline and animation

Use the slider and play button on ngmeteo.com to move hour by hour through a model run and see how weather systems cross the map.

Solar and wind calculators

Use GFS cloud, irradiance and wind data on ngmeteo.com to estimate daily kWh from PV panels or a home wind turbine at any map location.

Lifted Index explained

What the Lifted Index tells you about thunderstorm potential, how to read positive versus negative values, and when to check CAPE as well.

8-day point forecast

Click any point on the map to open an eight-day local forecast with temperature, wind and rain, tied to the model you select in the header.

CAPE and instability

What Convective Available Potential Energy means on weather maps, typical values for showers versus severe storms, and how to use the CAPE layer with Lifted Index.

The UV Index and sun safety

What the UV Index measures, what drives it up, and how to protect your skin and eyes outdoors.

How a storm forms

The ingredients and stages behind ordinary showers, severe thunderstorms and supercells.

How highs and lows form, spin and move

Why barometric systems form, which way they spin on each hemisphere, and what steers them across the map.

Ensemble forecasts explained

How dozens of slightly different model runs are combined into one forecast, and how to read spread and probability.

Forecast models: ECMWF, GFS, ICON-EU, AIFS

What ECMWF, GFS, ICON-EU and AIFS actually are, how they differ, and how to read their pressure, temperature and precipitation maps.