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There are various ways to find out or at least estimate where cloud bases are, e.g. ATIS/AWOS/ASOS report them directly, PIREPs may mention them, and you can make a rough estimate based on the temperature/dew point spread.

Is there any way to determine (or estimate) where the tops are, assuming that no PIREPs are available?

Pondlife
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1 Answers1

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https://www.aviationweather.gov/obs/radar/ provides cloud tops for weather with precipitation.

Cloud tops with no precip can be discerned from data provided in the Skew-t log℗ charts that are part of this app http://www.skewtlogpro.com/about-skew-t-log-p-charts/

Where the temperature and dew point on the skew-t charts are converged you can expect clouds. If the convergence extends into the freezing level indicated on the chart you can expect icing.

thetoolman
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