Ventusky now offers geopotential at the key 850, 500 and 300 hPa levels

A trio of important meteorological layers has just been added to Ventusky – geopotential at 850, 500 and 300 hPa. This is one of the key parameters used to analyse the atmosphere at mid and upper levels. You can now view it not only as colour-shaded maps but also as contour lines, which help reveal the structure of pressure systems and airflow patterns.

What geopotential is?
Geopotential indicates the height of a given pressure level in the atmosphere. Warm air is lighter, so the pressure surface lies higher. Cold, dense air pushes the pressure level lower. Because of this, geopotential makes it easy to identify the structure of pressure formations, the position of troughs and ridges, the depth of low-pressure systems and the general flow of air across a continent.

Why it’s useful

• Forecasting fronts and cyclones – changes in geopotential clearly show the movement of lows and troughs that drive large-scale weather development.


• Upper-level flow analysis – the 500 and 300 hPa layers are essential for studying the jet stream, which governs rapid weather changes.


• Better prediction of precipitation and extremes – combining geopotential with temperature or humidity helps anticipate heavy rainfall or thunderstorms.


• Aviation meteorology – geopotential at higher levels is crucial for pilots, as it describes the atmospheric environment through which most flights take place.

How users can benefit
Geopotential will be appreciated not only by professional meteorologists but also by advanced users, severe-weather enthusiasts, pilots, and anyone who wants a deeper understanding of why weather at the surface behaves the way it does. Together, the 850, 500 and 300 hPa levels provide a comprehensive view of the atmosphere from the lower layers up to nearly ten kilometres above ground.

Pilots in particular gain very practical value. At 300 and 500 hPa, they can easily identify the position and strength of the jet stream, which affects flight times, fuel consumption and the risk of clear-air turbulence (CAT). Geopotential also reveals the distribution of upper-level pressure systems, helping pilots anticipate areas of strong headwinds or, conversely, favourable tailwinds. With both map shading and contours, Ventusky offers a quick, clear overview of upper-air conditions that typical forecasts don’t visualise as clearly. Of course, contour lines can be combined with other layers, especially wind maps or atmospheric energy fields.

We have also improved the temperature maps for the 10 hPa layer, where users can track the polar vortex. Thanks to an extended temperature scale, it is now easier to follow its core and evolution over time.