The Blue Angels are taking over the skies of Western New York this weekend.

What You Need To Know

  • The Blue Angels perform this weekend in the Western New York sky

  • The forecast for the air show is 50/50

  • The Blue Angels have different criteria for the type of show they can put on based on the weather forecast

  • Sunday will be the better of the two days to watch

Over the past week, the team of Navy pilots has been doing military maneuvers all around the Queen City.

It has been a sight to see and hear. The sound of these planes flying overhead is on par with a large freight train rolling through your town. On top of that, it shakes entire buildings!

While observing the practice sessions ahead of this weekend’s air show, I stared at the sky and wondered what the ideal type of weather is that these specialized pilots need. I found the answer I was looking for on their webpage.

According to the website provided by the navy, Blue Angel pilots must have at least three nautical miles of visibility horizontally from centerpoint and a minimum cloud ceiling of 1,500 feet, which the FAA can waive to 1,000 feet.

At these minimums, the Blue Angels can perform a limited number of maneuvers in what is called a "flat" show. When the ceiling is at least 4,500 feet and visibility at least three nautical miles, they can perform a "low" show, which includes some rolling maneuvers.

With a minimum ceiling of 8,000 feet and visibility of three nautical miles, the Blue Angels can perform their "high" show, which includes all the maneuvers.

Unfortunately, for Western New Yorkers, I don’t believe that we’ll be able to get a "high" show on Saturday. The weather looks pretty cloudy in the morning, with rain and storms moving in by the late afternoon.

On top of that, sustained winds will sit between 10-20 mph, with gusts closer to 30 mph, and that’s at the surface. Higher up in the atmosphere, winds are even stronger! Hopefully, ahead of the storms, they'll be able to give some type of show.

On Sunday, the weather looks a bit better. Although there is a small chance for showers during the afternoon, I think most of the wet weather will stay to the south of Buffalo, where they are holding the air show.

So, if you’re still looking for an activity to do on Father’s Day, this is not a bad idea. 

For more stories on the weather or for future forecasts, follow Meteorologist Kaylee Wendt on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!