Weather Sandbox radar: Display Modes & Setup Guide

Weather Sandbox is a browser-based 2D atmospheric simulation. Its radar-style workflow comes from switching between visual display modes, reading environmental overlays, and observing how the simulated atmosphere reacts to forcing and tool changes. There is no need to treat the experience like a conventional radar application with a single scan command.

The most useful approach is to establish a stable simulation first, then cycle through the available data views. Number keys 1 through 9 control display modes, while dedicated keys expose air quality, humidity, cloud density, velocity vectors, droplets, weather stations, and sounding data.

The simulation can be started from a real-world sounding preset. This provides atmospheric forcing and gives the weather field a more structured basis for experimentation. Presets are especially useful when you want repeatable comparisons between brush edits, resolution settings, or display modes.

For a reliable reference point, use the 2D Weather Sandbox page and begin with a preset before making major changes. This keeps the first radar-style reading easier to interpret.

A good Weather Sandbox radar setup depends on visibility, simulation resolution, and input control. The published guidance recommends a vertical resolution of 300 for more realistic results. Larger horizontal resolutions can support stronger converging winds and longer-lasting cells, although they also increase the workload placed on the hardware.

Performance is mainly GPU-dependent. A GTX 1070 or better is recommended for realtime play, but actual results can vary with browser settings, resolution, and the complexity of the simulation. Laptop users should also check that the browser is using the dedicated GPU instead of integrated graphics.

Use fullscreen mode when comparing small clouds, wind structures, or droplet behavior. A larger viewing area makes it easier to distinguish broad circulation from small local features.

The following setup order avoids unnecessary troubleshooting:

The control scheme supports both inspection and direct editing. The middle mouse button drags the simulation area, while the mouse wheel zooms the view. Holding B while scrolling changes brush size, and pressing B twice toggles a whole-width brush.

The left mouse button activates the selected tool. Holding Ctrl, or Command on macOS, performs the inverted action. This makes it possible to test both adding and removing behavior without repeatedly changing the selected tool.

Use the pause command whenever a structure is difficult to read. A frozen frame allows you to switch display modes without the visual field changing at the same time. After recording your observations, press Space again to resume.

The arrow keys move the view, while + and - control zoom. The Esc key removes the active tool and provides a flashlight-style inspection mode. These controls are useful when the simulation becomes visually crowded.

A practical inspection cycle looks like this:

• Use a broad display mode to find the area of interest.
• Switch to C for relative humidity and cloud density.
• Press Tab to examine velocity vectors.
• Press D to show or hide droplets.
• Use N to show weather stations and G to inspect the sounding graph.
• Resume the simulation and compare how the structure develops.

For users experimenting with flight mode, A toggles the flight simulator. The vertical mouse position controls the elevator, and the arrow keys manage throttle. F enables camera following, Shift toggles landing gear, and Caps Lock activates autopilot. These tools are separate from the core radar workflow but can provide another way to observe the simulated atmosphere.

Radar-style analysis is strongest when multiple signals agree. Cloud density alone may show where moisture is concentrated, but it does not explain movement. Velocity vectors add direction, while droplets help identify visible precipitation behavior. Weather stations provide fixed reference points for comparing conditions as the simulation evolves.

Weather stations are especially useful for repeatable observation. Show them with N, then add or remove stations with M. Place stations near areas of interest and compare how conditions change as winds, clouds, or droplets move through the field.

The sounding graph, accessed with G, adds context to the visible simulation. It can help explain why a field behaves differently after loading another preset. Use the graph as a reference rather than trying to infer every atmospheric variable from the surface appearance.

The simulator also includes environmental interactions. In flight mode, Z drops water from the airplane to extinguish fires. This is a specialized tool rather than a standard weather radar feature, but it demonstrates how the simulation connects atmospheric observation with direct intervention.

Use this checklist before making a conclusion about a developing cell. If the visual layer, motion vectors, and moisture information point in the same direction, your interpretation is more dependable.

The best way to learn the radar controls is to run short, repeatable tests. Avoid changing the preset, resolution, brush size, and display layer at the same time. A controlled workflow makes it easier to understand which action caused a change.

Start by loading one sounding preset and noting the initial appearance. Use the standard view to identify broad structures, then press C to check humidity and cloud density. If a visible feature has strong moisture support, switch to velocity vectors with Tab and watch whether nearby flow converges around it.

Next, enable weather stations. A station placed near the edge of a developing feature can act as a comparison point, while a second station near the center can show how conditions differ across the same system. Keep the number of stations limited so the display remains readable.

When you find an interesting pattern, pause the simulation and use the view controls. Zoom in for local detail, pan to inspect surrounding flow, and then resume for a short observation period. If the result is useful, save the state or use the reload workflow to repeat the test later.

This method works well for both beginners and advanced users because it separates observation from editing. Once you understand the baseline, use the brush tools to test how local changes affect the larger field.