In what order do you look at weather products to get a big picture of what's going on after 7 days off?

Fine, i'll bite.  Not sure how big of a picture you mean since we arent doing 3 or 4 day cross countrry flights over 1000's of miles.  Typically just your local area and for the length of your shift.  I use foreflight on the desktop along with the HEMS tool if its a little funky out there.  Big picture just keep Foreflight up with flight category selected and just look at the colors of the dots, lots of green dots good, some blue pay attention, red and pinks go watch Netflix.  Should only take 30 seconds in the morning to have a good idea of the weather for the day provided its not an unstable day but you are gonna check everything again if you get a call before you go anywhere anyway. 

I usually have this combination:

Skyvector - for a quick picture of flight category, TFRs and quick TAFs with a cursor rollover 

Foreflight Web - for more in-depth analysis

GOES image viewer

Several AWC products:  Forecast Wx discussion; GFA tool for tops; HEMS tool sometimes 

FAA TFR site

usahas.com for bird forecast

timeanddate.com for sun and moon

1800wxbrief.com - I still do this as an area brief every shift, because it's very comprehensive, gives MOA and restricted area activity and records that you were briefed.

I know a ton of guys like weathermeister.  I personally don't

question.  Start from the national to regional to local area to determined what the wx drivers are then drill down to your specific routes of concern and whether disturbing wx is moving in and/or being created by conditions in your routes of concern.  One biggee is t/d spreads.  Sometimes they are critical, sometimes not a bother.  That is the hardest to evaluate.

Fire awa!

of your hitch any different than any other day

excitement being back in mediocre deranged mental paradise after a tough time off.

Hello,

It's a good question.  I still swipe ideas from other pilots I encounter in the job.

Here's a list of what's open on my browser right now and the order I look at it:

Skyvector - A good overall look at current weather with weather category, TFRs, radar, Pireps, SIGMETs, Icing, Turb, etc.,  The only site that displays drone notams DROTAMS

Foreflight Web - a more indepth look at some of the same items from skyvector,with additional things like winds and temps aloft for freezing level, if applicable seasonally

1800wxbrief.com -  I still get an old fashioned briefing from flight service through flight service like DUATS used to give.  It's a good place for MOA and restricted area activity if applicable to you.  The NOTAMs are presented in fire hose method, so sifting through them is tedious.

AWC GFA tool - a good place for cloud tops

AWC Aviation Forecast discussion - plain language weather forecast discussion

AWC HEMS tool - sometimes.  I still have it up although it's not as useful as it once was

GOES sector images - different satellite products

FAA graphical TFR site - good place for updated TFRs

usahas.com - US Air Force site for forecasted bird activity

sun moon data - sunrise/sunset, moonrise/moonset

When I'm planning an IFR flight, I'll do it through foreflight, let it brief me and sort out the NOTAMs important to me, like DH / MDA changes on approaches or approach closures.  Then I'll file through foreflight as well.  Simple and is almost immediately available at TRACON.

I know a lot of guys like weathermeister, but I never go into it.

Hope this helps

for old guys who had spent a career working in all kinds of places, doing all kinds of flying. A way to semi-retire and get closer to home after living out of a suitcase for 20-30 years.

Now, it's an entry-level job and this is the state of the industry.

What kind of shoes should I wear for IFR flying? Would Crocs be ok?

how is 2,200 hours a year semi retirement.

hems hasn't been hard to get into for 30 years.

you can't even figure out how to spot an obvious troll either. bro lol

you obviously weren't there 30 years ago. bro. lol.

Very few places, don't have a micro climate.. some really strange unpredictable Wx. happens locally. .. talk to the other pilots.

https://beta.aviationweather.gov/gfa/#obs

How did you read weather for the first 1500 hours of your career?  You shouldn't be flying if you can't figure out how to read a Metar, TAF, or an AF. It's really not that hard.  

he wants to know the ORDER.  btw, there is no more area forecast. it was replaced by the GFA tool. nice job lol

duh