PlaneWX queries three independent weather models at multiple points along your route, builds consensus with confidence scoring, and corroborates with real-world pilot reports and government advisories. You get altitude-specific icing and turbulence intelligence for the route you plan to fly.
Pilots today rely on two sources built for wide-area coverage, not a specific route and altitude.
PlaneWX’s approach: Alongside broad products and sparse reports, we query three independent numerical weather models at multiple points along your specific route, then corroborate the model output with real-world observations.
Two from NOAA, one from Europe. Each has different strengths, and comparing them gives us confidence scoring that no single model can provide.
NOAA’s high-resolution rapid-refresh model, updated hourly for short-range icing and turbulence forecasts.
3 km
Every hour
0–18 hours
Terrain effects, cloud layers, convection
NOAA’s primary global forecast model.
~13 km
4× daily
0–16 days
Big-picture trends, jet stream, extended range
Europe’s global forecast model, with a 10-day range.
~9 km
4× daily
0–10 days
Medium-range patterns, moisture, jet stream dynamics
No single model is always right. By comparing three independent models, PlaneWX determines how much to trust the forecast. When all three agree, forecast confidence is high. When they disagree, that disagreement is itself valuable intelligence: it tells you the atmosphere is uncertain and conditions could go either way.
HIGH Confidence
Unanimous
All three models agree. Trust the forecast.
MODERATE Confidence
Majority
Most models agree, one differs. Likely correct, but uncertainty exists.
LOW Confidence
Split
Models disagree. The atmosphere is uncertain. Plan conservatively.
PlaneWX doesn’t show you a colored polygon on a map. We sample your exact route.
3–7
Sample points along your route
8
Pressure levels at each point (925–200 hPa)
~120
Data points per flight (300 NM typical)
At each sample point, all three models provide temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, cloud cover, and freezing level. PlaneWX computes icing probability, severity, turbulence severity, wind shear, and Richardson number, then builds consensus across models.
Icing requires two ingredients simultaneously: subfreezing temperatures (0°C to -20°C) and visible moisture (relative humidity ≥ 80%). PlaneWX checks both at each of 8 altitude levels along your route, from each of three models.
0°C to -10°C: Maximum icing risk (supercooled water droplets most common)
-10°C to -20°C: Decreasing risk (mixed phase: some ice crystals, some liquid)
Below -20°C: Glaciated (ice crystals predominate, minimal airframe icing)
Safety-First Consensus
For icing, PlaneWX uses worst-case across models. If any model predicts moderate icing at your cruise altitude, the consensus reflects moderate icing, even if the other two models show light. Missing icing has severe consequences; we err on the side of caution.
PlaneWX derives Clear Air Turbulence from two fundamental atmospheric quantities computed at every altitude level from each model’s wind and temperature fields.
The change in wind speed between two altitude levels (kt/1000ft). When wind speed changes rapidly with altitude (near jet streams, fronts, or inversions), the resulting shear generates turbulence.
≥12
Light
≥20
Moderate
≥30
Severe
kt/1000ft, calibrated for bulk-layer model resolution
The stability gate. Ri measures the balance between thermal stability (which suppresses turbulence) and wind shear (which generates it). Think of it as the door: it must be open for turbulence to occur.
Unlike icing (where we use worst-case), turbulence consensus uses the median across models. Wind field differences can cause one model to see moderate shear where others see none. Using the maximum would produce too many false alarms.
Model Analysis
PIREPs & G-AIRMETs
Together, model analysis and observation data cover the full spectrum of turbulence types.
Model predictions are powerful, but they’re forecasts, not observations. PlaneWX fuses model output with PIREPs, AIRMETs, G-AIRMETs, and SIGMETs to produce a single, coherent assessment.
PlaneWX synthesizes these sources into one assessment. Many tools show model overlays, G-AIRMETs, and PIREPs as separate layers. PlaneWX combines them into a single, coherent assessment with transparent confidence, so you know not just what to expect, but how much to trust it.
PlaneWX shows the data behind every assessment, not just the conclusion.
Temperature, RH, wind, shear, Ri at every sample point and altitude, per model
See each model’s individual assessment. Disagree with the consensus? The data is there.
Tap “Sources” on any briefing section to see exactly which products contributed
PlaneWX briefings include
| Capability | What PlaneWX gives you |
|---|---|
| Multi-model analysis | 3 independent models |
| Confidence scoring | Unanimous / Majority / Split |
| Route-specific sampling | 3–7 points along YOUR route |
| Altitude-specific assessment | 8 pressure levels per point |
| Cloud layer boundaries | RH-derived at each sample point |
| Ice type prediction | Clear / rime / mixed |
| SLD / warm nose detection | Temperature profile scanning |
| Total icing exposure | Climb / cruise / descent minutes |
| Turbulence physics | Wind shear + Richardson number |
| PIREP / AIRMET corroboration | Fused with model output |
| Personal minimums | Soft + hard limits per aircraft |
| Raw data access | Full transparency |
The same icing conditions produce very different WX Scores for different pilots, and that’s by design. PlaneWX applies your personal minimums and aircraft capabilities to every analysis.
The severity you’re comfortable with. Exceeding this enters the caution zone with graduated deductions.
Your absolute maximum. Exceeding this is unfavorable and marked as a hard-limit exceedance. Non-FIKI aircraft are always unfavorable for any icing.
Start a free trial and create a briefing for your next flight. You’ll see multi-model icing and turbulence analysis, confidence scoring, and full data transparency, all tailored to your aircraft and minimums.