Skydiving Weather Guide: How Wind, Clouds & Heat Impact Your Jump

Skydiving is one of the most thrilling experiences you’ll have in your lifetime – but as with all outside adventures, it is at the mercy of one uncontrollable factor: the weather.

Skydiving weather isn’t just about sunshine and blue skies; it also includes wind speed, cloud cover, temperature, and rain. Understanding proper parachute weather conditions – as well as what conditions you cannot skydive in – is essential for all skydivers, experienced or not.

Whether you’re gearing up for your first tandem or working your way through AFF progression, here’s what you need to know about how weather can impact your jump – and why sometimes, waiting it out is the best bet.

What is the Ideal Weather for Skydiving?

The perfect day for skydiving looks like this: light breeze, blue skies, moderate temperatures. This is why you might hear skydivers saying “Blue skies!” to each other as a way to wish each other well. Blue skies means more jumps, and more jumps means happy skydivers! Ideal skydiving weather conditions generally include:

• Gentle Breeze

  Wind speeds under 14 mph (especially for student skydivers) and around 8 to 10 mph are the bee’s knees for jumping conditions. Winds can be tricky because you have to consider wind gusts as well. And while high winds can make things sketchy – especially when it comes to landing a parachute – we don’t necessarily want NO wind. Gentle wind pushing against your canopy as you approach the ground makes for a smoother landing experience. Ahhh …

• Blue Skies

  Blue skies means little to no cloud coverage. You’ll need to have at least three miles of visibility with a ceiling (cloud height) of around 10,000 feet or higher. Basically, we need to be able to see the ground from the airplane at exit altitude. Exit altitude can vary from dropzone to dropzone depending on airplane capability and cloud ceilings. At Oklahoma Skydiving Center, we jump from a whopping 14,000 feet and (if you’re feeling squirly) we even have the ability to take you all the way up to 18,000 feet! OoOoh yeah!
  
  With clouds, usually comes rain – can you skydive in the rain? Nope. (Not even light rain? No!) Ideal skydiving weather conditions, then, also include dry conditions with no precipitation.

• Moderate Temperatures

  Temperatures are much cooler up at altitude – about 30 degrees cooler! So while it might be hot on the ground, it could be a bit chilly up at altitude. Which is why we love a good 75 to 85 degree day when we’re jumping. 

Clouds: Can You Skydive Through a Cloud?

It might sound dreamy, but in real life skydiving through clouds can be very dangerous – which is why it’s illegal. Jumping into clouds might seem like a soft, magical ride, but it comes with real risks. 

The United States Parachute Association (USPA) and FAA work together to set rules that prohibit skydivers from descending through cloud layers. The reason? Visibility. Clouds hide other aircraft, terrain, and even other jumpers. Skydiving is a visual sport and you need to see your surroundings to stay as safe as possible.

So, how cloudy is too cloudy to skydive? According to Section 105.17 in the FAR (Federal Aviation Regulations), “No person may conduct a parachute operation, and no pilot in command of an aircraft may allow a parachute operation to be conducted from that aircraft;

1. Into or through a cloud, or
2. When the flight visibility or the distance from any cloud is less than that prescribed in the following table:”

Winds: What is Too Windy for Skydiving?

Wind is one of the most significant weather factors that can affect the safety of your jump. It impacts your exit from the aircraft, your parachute flight, and most importantly, your landing.

As we shared earlier, wind speeds must be under 14 mph for student skydivers. This helps to ensure a controlled, predictable canopy descent and landing. For licensed or tandem skydivers, instructors use their best judgement – but no one (we repeat, no one!) takes unnecessary risks. Even highly experienced jumpers often choose to wait out strong or gusty winds.

This means that weather conditions have the ability to impact your AFF student progression. The USPA requires non-licensed skydivers to stay current by making at least one skydive every 30 days. Beyond 30 days (but less than 60 days), you are required to take a refresher class and make a skydive. Beyond 60 days (but less than 180 days), you must retake the first jump ground school and make a skydive. Beyond 180 days, you must return to the first jump ground school (at regular price).

While bad weather can be a bummer, it’s more important to us that you are staying as safe as possible and making good decisions throughout your skydiving career.

Temperature: Can it Be Too Hot to Skydive?

Technically, skydiving can still happen on hot days – but extreme temperatures can make it uncomfortable and even risky. High heat can cause turbulence and affect aircraft performance. Plus, it impacts you physically – think dehydration, fatigue, and overheating in gear. Your decision to jump in high heat is completely up to you and your tolerance for the heat. If there are any doubts in your mind, it’s best to reschedule for a cooler day when you can fully and comfortably enjoy your experience.

What Happens if the Weather is Bad on the Day of Your Skydive?

Sometimes, the weather just won’t cooperate – and that’s A-OK! If the sky isn’t safe for jumping, your skydive will be postponed. The team at Oklahoma Skydiving Center will contact you to reschedule your jump for a different date when the weather looks more favorable. 

If you’ve already made it to the dropzone and clouds start to roll in, you will have the option to either wait it out or just go ahead and reschedule your jump. These policies are in place to ensure that you stay as safe as possible when enjoying the most amazing experience of your life!

Don’t let weather worries cloud your excitement – book your skydive with Oklahoma Skydiving Center or give us a call to see if we’re jumping today. Blue skies!