Skydiving Weather 101: What Conditions Cancel a Jump

Key Takeaways
While many people assume skydiving can happen in almost any weather, factors like strong winds, rain, thunderstorms, low clouds, and poor visibility can all lead to delays or cancellations. Temporary weather holds are a normal part of the sport and are designed to protect both students and instructors. At Skydive STL, every jump is carefully evaluated to ensure conditions are favorable before taking to the skies.

Table of Contents
Does Weather Affect Skydiving?
Skydiving Weather Conditions that Cancel a Jump
Can You Skydive When it’s Raining?
Can You Skydive When It’s Cloudy?
Can You Skydive When it’s Windy?
Can You Skydive in Extreme Temperatures?
The Ideal Skydiving Weather
What Happens if the Weather is Bad on Jump Day?
When is Skydiving Season at Skydive STL?
Book Your Tandem Skydive with Confidence

You arrive at the dropzone ready for the experience of a lifetime. The airplane is climbing overhead, the sky looks mostly clear, and your excitement is building by the minute. Then suddenly, someone announces a “weather hold.” If you’ve never been skydiving before, it can feel confusing. After all, if it isn’t raining, why would the jumping stop?

The reality is that skydiving weather involves much more than sunshine – wind speeds, visibility, cloud ceilings, rain, storms, and even conditions thousands of feet above the ground all play a role in whether jumps can operate that day. Professional dropzones continuously monitor conditions because weather can change quickly, especially during spring and summer. This is why you’ll often hear jumpers say “blue skies” to one another – it’s a traditional phrase used to wish fellow skydivers good weather, clear conditions, and a great day of jumping.

Understanding how weather impacts skydiving can help you know what to expect before your jump and why weather delays are such a normal part of the sport. Here is everything you need to know before your visit to Skydive STL.

Does Weather Affect Skydiving?

Yes, weather directly affects nearly every part of a skydive. From the airplane ride to parachute flight and landing, changing weather conditions influence whether (see what we did there?) jumps can continue throughout the day. Even when conditions look good on the ground, winds and visibility at altitude may be completely different.

Because weather patterns shift throughout the day, dropzones evaluate conditions continuously rather than making a single decision in the morning. It’s very common for jumps to pause temporarily while conditions are reevaluated.

Skydiving Weather Conditions that Cancel a Jump

There are several skydiving weather conditions that commonly lead to delays, holds, or cancellations, including:

• Rain
• Cloud cover
• Strong winds
• Temperature extremes

If weather conditions become questionable, the dropzone will pause jump operations to assess the radar, winds, and forecast. Holds are issued based on current conditions at the airport, in the air, and across the surrounding airspace.

Let’s explore each of these weather conditions a bit further.

Can You Skydive When it’s Raining?

No – rain can compromise visibility, comfort, and equipment. 

Skydiving operations stop when rain moves into the area. Even light rain often results in a weather hold until the area clears. Why? Visibility is reduced for both pilots and skydivers, especially when storm systems or heavy cloud cover move overhead.

During freefall, skydivers reach speeds of roughly 120 mph. Raindrops hitting exposed skin at those speeds can become surprisingly uncomfortable.

Moisture also affects equipment. Parachutes are not designed to be packed and flown while soaked with water, and electronics like cameras, AADs, and altimeters can also be affected by wet conditions. 

Thunderstorms bring additional concerns such as lightning, turbulence, and rapidly changing wind patterns.

At many dropzones, weather delays caused by rain are temporary. Passing showers may move through quickly, allowing operations to resume later in the day depending on visibility and wind conditions afterward. 

But then comes the impact the wet weather has had on the ground, nobody likes landing in mud – yuck!

Can You Skydive When It’s Cloudy?

FAA regulations require skydivers to maintain specific distances from clouds.

While some cloud cover is manageable, thick or low cloud layers can stop operations entirely. If clouds block visibility or prevent jumpers from clearly seeing the landing area, jumps cannot continue. This is especially important for aircraft traffic, canopy navigation, and maintaining visual awareness throughout the skydive.

But not all cloudy days result in cancellations. High clouds or broken cloud layers may still allow operations to continue if visibility remains clear between cloud openings. Low overcast conditions and solid cloud ceilings are much more likely to result in weather holds.

Can You Skydive When it’s Windy?

Wind directly affects parachute movement and landing conditions. 

While skydiving can continue in moderate winds (around 5 mph), conditions can quickly change throughout the day depending on gusts, direction changes, and turbulence. 

Wind limits vary depending on experience level. For tandem skydivers, wind limits are often higher than they are for student solo jumpers because tandem instructors have significantly more experience managing parachute flight. However, even tandem jumps pause when wind conditions become too strong or unpredictable.

High winds can push parachutes farther away from the landing area, making navigation more difficult. Gusty conditions can also create dangerous turbulence near trees, buildings, hangars, and uneven terrain. These swirling pockets of air, sometimes called rotors, are closely monitored during windy days.

Wind conditions are evaluated continuously because forecasts alone do not always reflect what is happening directly above the dropzone. A calm morning can quickly turn into gusty afternoon conditions, especially during warmer months.

Can You Skydive in Extreme Temperatures?

Temperature can delay operations, especially during peak summer and winter. 

While jumps may still operate in very hot or cold weather, dropzones often adjust schedules, pause operations temporarily, or require additional preparation depending on conditions.

During extreme heat, the biggest concerns are dehydration, heat exhaustion, and uncomfortable conditions on the ground. Hot air can also affect aircraft performance, causing planes to climb more slowly to altitude. 

In the afternoon, rising columns of warm air called thermals can create bumpier parachute rides and more turbulent air conditions. Because of this, some dropzones schedule more jumps earlier in the morning or later in the evening during the hottest parts of summer.

Cold weather creates a completely different set of challenges. Temperatures drop roughly 3 to 4°F for every 1,000 feet of altitude gained, meaning a cool day on the ground can feel dramatically colder at jump altitude. Strong winds during freefall can create intense wind chill, especially on exposed skin. Freezing temperatures may also affect how gear feels and operates during winter jumps.

At some dropzones, operations become more limited during winter months due to temperature, storms, or changing seasonal conditions. Other facilities continue operating with additional cold-weather gear requirements like thermal layers, gloves, and face protection.

The Ideal Skydiving Weather

So, what does the weather have to be to skydive? Ideal skydiving weather conditions are sunny or partly cloudy skies, steady winds under roughly 10 to 15 mph, and visibility clear enough to easily see the ground and surrounding airspace. 

These conditions typically provide smoother aircraft rides, better views during freefall, and more predictable parachute flights.

What Happens if the Weather is Bad on Jump Day?

If poor weather moves into the area on your jump day, we may temporarily pause operations – a process known as a weather hold – or reschedule jumps for another day.

Weather holds are often temporary because conditions can shift dramatically throughout the day. Passing rain showers, changing winds, or improving visibility may allow operations to continue later in the afternoon. Other times, larger weather systems may prevent jumping for the entire day.

At Skydive STL, we’ll wait for the weather to pass for at least three hours with you. If we’re unable to jump, we will reschedule your skydive for a different day.

If you’re concerned about skydiving weather conditions before heading to the airport, contact our team.

When is Skydiving Season at Skydive STL?

At Skydive STL, our skydiving season generally runs from spring through late fall when weather conditions are most favorable for operations.

Summer brings warmer temperatures and longer days, while fall often provides cooler air and scenic views across Missouri and Illinois. Winter jumping may still occur depending on conditions, though weather holds become more common during colder months and stormier patterns.

No matter the season, weather always plays a major role in daily operations.

Book Your Tandem Skydive with Confidence

Understanding skydiving weather conditions can help you know what to expect before your jump day. Whether we like it or not, weather delays are simply part of skydiving. Prioritizing safety means following Mother Nature’s lead. And while waiting on a weather hold may feel disappointing at first, clearer skies and calmer conditions make for a much better overall experience once operations resume.

If you are ready to experience freefall, book your jump with Skydive STL. Blue skies!