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Chinnor

Chinnor is a paragliding flying site at 235 m elevation, in the South East England region of the United Kingdom. The launch faces NW. This page consolidates multi-model weather forecasts, the GO / CAUTION / NO-GO flyability score, the vertical windgram and the thermal emagram so pilots can plan their flight in one place.

Wind and orientation. Chinnor flies in NW winds, meaning the airflow must come head-on into the launch. Any component outside that window triggers CAUTION or NO-GO depending on intensity. The launch is rated safe up to 43 km/h sustained wind, beyond which ParaRidge switches to NO-GO. The hourly forecast table and the vertical windgram both show wind direction and speed at takeoff altitude, hour by hour, for the next five days.

Weather model and forecast. For Chinnor, ParaRidge auto-selects the best-available model (HRDPS, GDPS or GFS in North America; AROME, ICON-D2 or ECMWF in Europe), then surfaces hourly forecasts for today and the next four days. The windgram stacks the vertical wind profile of every hour into one chart; the emagram reveals cloud base, thermal ceiling and the instability band — the three pieces of information needed to estimate whether the day is flyable and how long the thermals will last.

How to read the GO / CAUTION / NO-GO verdict. ParaRidge cross-references the forecast wind direction against the launch's orientation window, the wind speed against the safety limit, and the gust speed against the maximum threshold. GO means every check passes; CAUTION that at least one threshold is borderline (you stay pilot in command); NO-GO that the direction is wrong or the wind exceeds the window. The reasons are always spelled out — no opaque score, no magic. At Chinnor as anywhere else, the final go decision remains the pilot's, after local briefing and direct observation.

Current wind at Benson (station 17 km away): 9 km/h S, gusts 9 km/h — read at 02:50 UTC, data by winds.mobi.

Fly your own decision

Spot info is community-sourced and may be outdated. The weather shown is a numerical model, not real-time observed conditions — actual wind on launch can differ. Landing-zone details (surface, obstacles, access, livestock) must be verified locally before every flight. Always cross-check with local clubs and pilots. ParaRidge is not responsible for any incident.

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ThermalRidge

Chinnor

235 mUnited Kingdom›South East England
—Not rated yet·0 votes
Takeoff

main

235 m · NW

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Landing

main

141 m

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The launch is completely surrounded by trees, therefore caution is advised when assessing the wind strength and direction at launch. The true wind speed is extremely hard to judge. Often the wind at launch seams very light yet it's perfectly soarable. If the wind on the ground is 10 - 12mph the true wind could be 25mph. Watch the trees behind take off to try to assist in assessing the wind speed. The take off looks more daunting than it actually is, but a committed take off is essential as it is relatively shallow and to counter the turbulence near the trees. Start your run as far back against the fence near the stile as this is the steepest part. Treat it as a nil wind launch and maintain plenty of speed as you encounter the turbulence as you clear the trees. After flying over the trees turn right and head along the corner of the ridge. Chinnor: thermal, ridge soaring site in South East England, United Kingdom. Elevation 235 m.

Forecast · ICON_EU

NESW
Takeoff

No flyability data

235 m

Live now · station

Model· fine-mesh → global

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updating…

Which model should I pick?

Fine-mesh models (1–3 km: HRDPS, AROME, ICON-D2, HRRR) resolve terrain and thermals well, but only reach +1 to +2 days. Use them for the day you actually fly.

Coarse-mesh models (10–25 km: GDPS, ARPEGE, ECMWF, GFS) miss valley detail but reach +3 to +10 days. Use them to scout a window 3+ days out, then re-check on a fine-mesh model the day before.

Advanced analysis
Fine mesh — accurate here · ★ recommendedRegional — trendGlobal — big picture

Day · Windgram / Emagram

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Local contacts

Questions about this site (local rules, conditions, access)? These nearby schools and clubs know the area.

  • 👥RAF Hang Gliding and Paragliding AssociationClub · 15 km