Issue Flat cloud bases

[slmylmz]

Why most clouds has flat bases ?

 

[damian]

Depending on the MSL altitude of the base, MSFS has a depiction system that renders layers flat/cut off, and we cannot alter that depiction while keeping the altitude consistent as per the METAR/Grib data. It's internal to MSFS.

 

[Cumulonimbus1991]

Clouds usually have flat bases in real life as well, especially convective clouds. Because the boundary layer on a sunny day is so well mixed, the lifting condensation level (cloud base) is a very strict altitude, especially considering the thermal keeps pusing upwards against it. So convective clouds get a very flat base. I think Active Sky does this very well.

See a few photos:

 

[damian]

Clouds usually have flat bases in real life as well, especially convective clouds. Because the boundary layer on a sunny day is so well mixed, the lifting condensation level (cloud base) is a very strict altitude, especially considering the thermal keeps pusing upwards against it. So convective clouds get a very flat base. I think Active Sky does this very well.

See a few photos:
View attachment 8631View attachment 8632

Indeed. However there is also an unwanted influence in depiction patterns as mentioned based on MSL altitude of the cloud bases. e.g. a cloud at 2500msl base with the same thickness will be cut off unnaturally vs. a cloud at 2800msl base which will have a more organic flat bottom appearance, while 3000msl is cut off again (and this repeats as you go up in altitudes). Those altitudes are just examples, the actual altitudes are different. You can experience this yourself by creating cloud layers in the MSFS ui and simply sliding the entire cloud up and down and observing the results.