This page contains links to flight planning resources to prepare for a specific day flying from Boulder. If you’re new to cross-country flying from Boulder, I recommend you take a look at the Colorado Soaring Area Map and this article that talks about getting to know our area.
- Flight Planning Checklist
- Create .cub or .sua file with TFRs (Temporary Flight Restrictions)
- Instructions for installing TFR .cub file on Naviter Oudie
General Weather Resources (free)
- National Weather Service: Overall Weather Systems and Fronts
- National Weather Service: Forecast for Boulder / Denver
- National Weather Service: Radar for Front Range
- Wunderground: Animated Radar for Colorado
- Animated Jet Stream Map: Western United States
- Observed Foothills Weather 1/2 mile west of BDU airport
- Tundra Cam (on Niwot Ridge above timber line)
- Niwot Ridge Weather Station
- Water Vapor Loop for North America
- Precipitation History
- Fire and Smoke Map for the United States
Soaring Specific Weather Resources (free)
- Dr. Jack’s Soaring BLIP Maps for Colorado and Boulder
- National Weather Service: Soaring Forecast for Boulder / Denver
- Black Forest BLIPMAPs
- Skew-T Boulder
- Surface Winds
- Wind Map Colorado
- Winds Aloft (Denver)
- NOAA HRRR: Wave Forecast (select E Colorado, look for Mean Vertical Velocity, click on 2nd checkmark)
- Current Weather Boulder Airport
- FAA Weather Cameras Colorado
My Subscribed Weather Resources
- Skysight: Soaring Forecast for the Western United States
- 1-800-WX-BRIEF
- SkyVector: Flight Planning Tool (e.g. to visualize TFRs)
- Topmeteo: Soaring Site Forecast for Boulder, CO
- Topmeteo: Potential Flight Distance Chart for Rocky Mountains
- Meteoblue: Thermal Forecast for Boulder, CO
- Meteoblue: Sounding for Boulder, CO
Other Location Specific Resources
- SSB / KBDU Ground School Handout
- OLC Flights from Boulder
- Soaring Society of Boulder
- Soaring a Colorado Sinkhole, by Bob Wheelan
Explanations for How To Use Various Weather Forecasts