What are the green spots on Flightaware map?

Flights in blue are to/from the airport being viewed. Flights in green are transitioning that airspace to and from other airports.



Excellent question! Those green spots on the FlightAware map are a key feature of their live tracking, and they represent areas of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, etc.) as detected by weather radar.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

What They Specifically Are:

  • NEXRAD Radar Data Overlay: FlightAware integrates data from the U.S. National Weather Service’s Next-Generation Radar (NEXRAD) network. The green spots show where the radar detects moisture in the atmosphere.
  • Intensity Scale: The color indicates the intensity of precipitation, with green being the lightest on the typical scale:
    • Light Green: Very light precipitation (drizzle, light rain/snow).
    • Yellow: Moderate rain.
    • Orange/Red: Heavy rain, potentially with turbulence.
    • Magenta/Pink: Very heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail, or severe weather.

Why FlightAware Shows Them:

  1. Context for Delays: It immediately helps you understand if flight delays, holding patterns, or diversions are due to weather. If you see many planes circling or avoiding a large green/yellow/red area, you know why.
  2. Flight Path Explanations: It shows why an aircraft’s route may look irregular—pilots and dispatchers are actively routing around areas of significant weather for safety and comfort.
  3. Pre-Flight Planning: For aviation enthusiasts or those tracking a specific upcoming flight, it provides a quick visual of the weather challenges along the route.

Important Caveats:

  • Not “Real-Time”: The radar data is typically delayed by

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