Can You Skydive in the Rain?

We've all heard of dancing or singing in the rain, but what about SKYDIVING in the rain? And with your tandem skydiving reservation on the horizon, you may be worried about the skydive weather forecast and what that could mean for your future plans. Skydiving weather has a few important factors that could impact your skydiving such as cloud cover, high wind gusts, and RAIN! Let's address the effects of rain on your skydive, skydiving weather requirements, and whether or not you can even skydive in the rain!

CAN YOU SKYDIVE IN THE RAIN?

To be frank, skydiving in the rain is not only prohibited, it is actually illegal to do so. This regulation comes from the top dogs - the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). One of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) states that no person may conduct a parachute operation when the flight visibility is obstructed. Violations of the FARs are considered Federal offenses and are not tolerated.

The FAA requires that skydives must be completed in Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions. Skydivers navigate visually, therefore we need to be able to see the ground and the other skydivers or aircraft around us at all times.

THE EFFECTS OF SKYDIVING IN THE RAIN

Even if you could skydive in the rain, trust us, you would NOT want to. There have been a few skydivers that have been accidentally caught in the rain a time or two and they, 10 out of 10, would NOT recommend.

Freefallin' in the rain straight up HURTS!

A light rainfall may not seem like a big deal while standing on the ground, but when you're falling at speeds of 120 or more, those tiny water droplets feel like tiny needles all over your face and body. Ouch!

Rain can affect the canopy ride.

Skydiving parachutes were not made to function in the rain. The canopy will still fly, but not as efficiently. The rain can add extra weight to the fabric, making it harder to control the canopy and produce an effective flare in order to have a soft landing. Not to mention, you won't want to pack up a wet canopy - you'll have to let it set out and dry completely before packing it back up. No one wants a moldy parachute!

Skydiving gear is not waterproof.

... nor is skydiving gear all that water resistant! There are electronic components inside of your gear like the Automatic Activation Device (AAD). The AAD is a safety system that is responsible for automatically deploying the reserve parachute in the event that a jumper is unable to do so.

Rain can quickly turn an incredible, life-changing adventure into a miserable, painful experience. This is not the type of experience we want you to have, so it's best to just save your moment for another day. It's totally worth it to wait for good weather!

SKYDIVING WEATHER REQUIREMENTS

Skydiving weather conditions revolve around the impact of the visibility and canopy control. There are three main factors that are always considered on every single jump at Skydive Long Island: cloud cover, rain, and wind.

Here are the factors that have the potential to cancel or delay your jump:

Low Clouds

We must be able to see the ground from the airplane, so if clouds are between the plane and the ground it's an automatic no-go. This is because the clouds are sure to impact the skydiver's visibility. Clouds move and can even build around you on your way up to altitude, so this call can be made even right before exit. If it's determined that it is unsafe to jump, you will ride the plane back down to the ground to either wait it out or reschedule your jump if it doesn't look promising.

High Winds/Wind Gusts

A weather factor you can't exactly see with your eyes is wind! When the wind is blowing too hard on the ground, it has the potential to push parachutes backwards. High wind gusts cause dangerous turbulence that could create the potential for bad landings.

Rain

We've already covered this one - rain is wet, cold, and painful! Not to mention, rain comes from clouds so that creates even more of a dangerous situation.

If the skydive weather forecast is looking unfavorable, we will need to reschedule your jump. If you're traveling, please call ahead to try and get an update on what we're thinking the weather might do. Keep in mind that weather is very unpredictable and 100% out of our control. We will always do our best to try and accommodate our customers, but safety is our #1 concern. Weather has a huge impact on the enjoyability of your jump, so it's usually best to just wait for a beautiful day!

Book your jump with Long Island's premier skydiving facility - Skydive Long Island! Blue skies.