The Weather for Dummies (of Paragliding)

Why do we check the weather so much before your paragliding flight?

When you book a paragliding experience, you mainly dream of the scenery and the sensations. We, instructors, spend a lot of time observing the sky and analyzing the weather. Here’s why.

The 3 weather phenomena that prevent us from flying

- Wind that is too strong or poorly oriented

- Rain

- Low clouds or fog that reduce visibility

Understanding what allows us to fly longer: breeze, thermals, and wind:

Paragliding has no engine. What keeps us in the air longer is the moving air.

- The breeze: during the day, the sun heats the slopes of the mountains. The air warms up, becomes lighter, and rises gently along the slopes. This is the valley breeze, a soft and steady airflow that lifts us and can extend the flight.

- Thermals: certain areas (rocks, fields) heat up faster than others and create columns of warm air that rise: these are the thermals. They allow us to gain altitude, a bit like an invisible elevator.

- Weather wind: this is the general wind related to pressure systems (depressions, anticyclones). If it is too strong or poorly oriented, we postpone the flight for your safety.

The signs we observe in the sky

- Small white clouds with a flat base (cumulus) often signal thermals: perfect for a slightly longer flight.

- Large cauliflower-shaped clouds indicate unstable air that can develop into a storm: we never fly in these conditions.

- A completely blue sky in high heat may seem ideal, but it sometimes reveals stability that limits upward currents.

- Lens-shaped clouds (lenticular) show that there is a lot of wind at altitude: even if everything seems calm on the ground, we prefer to postpone.

Observing the wind at takeoff

The windsock is our first indicator:

- If it is well inflated, points towards the slope, and remains stable, it’s perfect for a smooth takeoff.

- If it turns or points backward, we wait or postpone.

For you, we always choose the best moment

At Ailes des Aravis, we check all this to guarantee you a safe, comfortable, and beautiful flight, whether in the gentle morning breeze or in the afternoon thermals that extend the pleasure.

That’s our job: reading the sky to offer you the most beautiful flight, safely.