Let's talk about the weather...

[ShawnR]

It is already going to be warming up to the 70's next week here in Sacramento. This could be detrimental to our snow pack...

40 degrees here in Iowa today. All the snow is gone. Very unusual for this time of year. We will probably get more snow before winter is over. But still, unseasonably warm for this time of year.

 

[Defender 90 Keith]

A rainy day is the perfect time for a walk in the woods. ~Rachel Carson

I'll admit it; I'm a weather geek. Even as a little kid, I made an electronic weather station, and have always had an assortment of rain gauges, thermometers, etc.

Here in Ohio, we have four real seasons, and they are all distinct and beautiful in their own way. My personal favorite is Autumn, although after just a short burst of enthusiasm, it often becomes dark and dreary. It prepares me for warm winter nights by the fire, and reminds me of things unfinished that need attending to.

We are gardeners, and since retiring, have increased the size of our vegetable and fruit plots. When my last electronic weather gizmo died, I finally invested in a real weather station: one of nearly professional quality, and frequently seen on industrial sites, businesses, and larger farms.

I've installed the rain collector, thermometer, hygrometer, solar, UV, etc. on a post in my garden, and have the anemometer on a pole on the roof of my house. All this transmits to a monitor in my kitchen and a second monitor connected to my computer. This records local conditions, which I then post to a local weather web page and to Twitter every couple hours. I've also added soil temperature and moisture sensors at different depths in my garden and yard to help with keeping the garden healthy and productive.

When we travel, I usually have a battery/solar/crank-up weather radio with me. Ohio isn't as volatile as tornado alley, but the weather can change quickly and drastically. I've seen temperature swings of 30-40 degrees in a few hours a number of times. On trips, I take a handheld weather station to see what conditions are when in different parts of the country. Here's me checking the wind chill on top of Clingman's Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Subaru used to include a weather band radio in their Outback audio system, but discontinued that feature in the model before mine. Something many outdoor Subaru enthusiasts complained loudly about.


So, the point of this thread, is to ask what folks here on Overland Bound use to monitor the weather while traveling, what you use to check the weather while planning a trip, or whether you just ignore the weather and adapt your plans as you go.

Even though I enjoy monitoring and sharing my weather conditions, I rarely let whatever is forecast effect my plans when hiking. I love a walk in the rain. But for sailing or kayaking, I keep an eye on the forecast and may postpone a trip.

I realize that a sizable portion of Overland Bound members live in areas of the country where the weather rarely changes, and watching the weather never comes to mind. But for the rest of us, what's your weather alert system, radio, etc.

Wow I like the look of the weather system you have.

I too am an avid gardener, I have just increased the size of one of my veg plots. I also make my own compost and leaf mould. Currently I have leeks, garlic, broccoli, onions in the ground and I just planted some of the seeds for other veg. I also have some of my "Early" potatoes "chitting" prior to planting.

hopefully the weather will bring us another healthy amount of fruits and veg.