Weather

Understanding the weather for paraglider pilots and free flight pilots

Ben Lewis had been in Bir for three weeks before his incident, which saw him reach more than 7,000m in a cu-nim. Photo: Ben Lewis

“The vario was just screaming”

Canadian pilot Dr Ben Lewis was swept to 7,374m in a storm cloud in Bir in India in October 2024 and lived. He tells his story
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Wave flying with Gordon Boettger. Photo: Gordon Boettger

The Long Game: Chasing the monster

Gordon Boettger is one of the only pilots on Earth using night vision goggles to fly wave – I went with him
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Ben Lewis's tracklog from paragliding in a storm cloud in Bir, India.

‘It was just so strong – there was nothing I could do’

Canadian paraglider pilot Dr Ben Lewis was swept to 7,374m in a storm in the Indian Himalaya. Remarkably, he lived to tell the tale
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Masterclass: Message of the clouds

Masterclass: Understanding the Sky – The message of the clouds

Learn how clouds are formed, how condensation occurs, how to calculate cloud base and what affects a cloud's lifespan
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A storm in the mountains behind Bir, India. Photo: Jerome Maupoint

Pilot swept to 7,300m in Himalayan storm – and survives

A Canadian pilot has shared the terrifying story of being swept up to more than 7,000m in a storm cloud while paragliding in the Himalaya
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Weather: Understanding wind gusts

Why do gusts happen, and how can you predict them? Honza delves into the subject to find the answers that will keep you safe
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Hurricane Milton and sea temperatures. Image: NASA

Hurricanes: What is rapid intensification?

What exactly is rapid intensification in hurricanes, and what does global climate change have to do with it?
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A tornadic waterspout at Punta Gorda, Florida. Photo: Wikipedia / Public Domain

Waterspouts: What are they are and how do they form?

Fair-weather waterspouts develop in relatively calm weather – but tornadic waterspouts form from storm supercells
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Weather: Gliding among the clouds

Gliding along the side of a cloud is an unforgettable experience. Honza Rejmanek on how and where you can soar up the side of a cloud
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hurricane

Hurricane Watch

Hurricanes are more intense and exploding more quickly. Brian Tang explains why
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