Weather forecasts while bushwalking

[Orion]

What methods, if any, have you used to obtain up to date weather forecasts while out bushwalking?

1. weather radio (do these still exist?)
2. mobile phone connection when possible
3. satellite phone or an InReach device
4. barometer
5. look at sky

Something else?

[Mark F]

Only really relevant for longer trips as weather reports are usually reasonable out to about 4 days. In the bush it is 4 and 5 mostly. I have occasionally checked up online when there has been reception.

[wildwanderer]

Below the snowline I only really care about the 4 day forecasts, which I'l check the day Im departing on the Weather Bureau site. That usually gives me enough info to adjust my packing list.

I do also have a watch with a barometer. Though Ive rarely needed to use it.

For longer term planning I find the weather charts can provide a reasonable guestimate of potential weather.

http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/charts/viewer/index.shtml. These charts show the positioning and forecasted movement of low and high pressure systems across the continent for the next 7 day. You can expand it to show the global chart for even longer term predictions.. of course the further out you go the less accurate it becomes.

For NSW generally speaking low pressure systems bring colder weather sometimes with rain bands, while high pressure systems feature higher temps. In other geographic regions, low and high pressure systems may produce different results on the ground.

[ofuros]

Check what the weather systems are doing before I go, then play it by eye throughout the day.
I tend to enjoy incoming wilder weather anyway...mother nature can very cantankerous at times & i love her
all the more for it.

[Orion]

Only really relevant for longer trips as weather reports are usually reasonable out to about 4 days. In the bush it is 4 and 5 mostly. I have occasionally checked up online when there has been reception.

Longer trips is what I meant. How often can you get reception though?

For longer term planning I find the weather charts can provide a reasonable guestimate of potential weather.

That's interesting. I would have thought that >5 days out the forecasts would be increasingly uncertain. I'm interested specifically in Tasmania. Is it more/less predictable there than other places?

I was at Lake Oberon, wondering if the weather was going to improve anytime soon, and another party was able to just barely get texts from friends in Hobart with updates. That was kind of nice... although, as we discovered, the forecasts weren't very accurate.

[lseries92]

I have an Inreach SE and was happy to see that they added a weather feature last year via a firmware update. I actually used it on the Laraptina trail a few times earlier this year but found it a little limited:

* While only a small gripe, it does not provide information on the locality the forecast is for - not a big problem but it does require some trust. Knowing the locality in my view helps with determining exactly how relevant this forecast is to where you are ... After having worked for an American company in the '90s (who will remain nameless), I had this vision that if Delorme/Inreach were anything like them, they would have a single forecast for Canberra that would be used for the entire Australian continent

* A larger gripe was that the "simple" forecast would give you a forecast of temperature for 6 hour intervals over a few days starting at the time when you retrieved the forecast. It will then seem to provide the minimums and maximums based on the intervals rather than the actuals for the day meaning it could be a fair way off depending on when you retrieved it. The premium forecast would decrease the intervals to 3-4 hours but still had a similar behaviour with mins and maxs The first time I used it, the minimum claimed it would be 4 degrees Celsius and I strongly suspect it was -4!

Using the weather from the Inreach is not something I would normally use much anyway - I would normally check the synoptic charts and long range forecast before leaving and most of my walks are less than a week in climates that are a little more forgiving (than, say, Tassie in Winter). Still, it was nice to get a new feature on a three year old device and it does give predictions not only for the temp but wind and rain as well (even if they can only be used as general guides).

[Orion]

I typically take an 8-12 day trip in our local mountains (Sierra Nevada of California) each year. After the first 3-4 days I have no idea what the weather is likely to do, other than by observing the clouds and winds. But I often misread these natural cues.

In the last couple years I've encountered people with InReach devices who could get the weather. Sometimes it seems like a very thin and not too useful forecast. Other times it seems they are getting pretty detailed spot forecasts. I don't know anything about the InReach options. I wondered, at least in one case, if the guy was actually just texting a friend and getting an up to date NOAA forecast.

Anyway, when they've had detailed forecasts it's been useful to know. In one case I got up at 4am the next morning as afternoon thunderstorms were highly likely that day and I wanted to get over a high pass before they struck. The forecast was correct, but I wouldn't have known by looking at the sky the previous evening.

I wasn't sure if the InReach services were equivalent across the globe. It's kind of an expensive little device anyway.

[Orion]

What about weather radios?

Here in the U.S. we have a NOAA weather radio broadcast system. I have a weather radio, somewhere. It's a little too big to carry bushwalking, although I have taken it a couple of times on winter trips, long ago. Nowadays there are much smaller weather radios. I found one that was something around 100g.

Does such a system exist in Tasmania?

[ofuros]

Local ABC radio stations broadcast weather reports & alerts during the day on the AM frequency. Just need to know the frequency, have a small radio & decent reception.

Coastal walk option ?...Marine band radio has schedules throughout the day but they're on VHF so need a different type of radio altogether...

http://www.abc.net.au/reception/freq/

http://www.mast.tas.gov.au/recreational ... procedure/

http://www.mast.tas.gov.au/recreational ... f-network/

[peregrinator]

Local ABC radio stations broadcast weather reports & alerts during the day on the AM frequency. Just need to know the frequency, have a small radio & decent reception . . . http://www.abc.net.au/reception/freq/ . . .

Re ABC broadcasts of weather forecasts. In rural and regional areas they are on Local Radio FM frequencies as well as AM frequencies. The FM stations are listed in ofuros’s link to ABC reception.

But as well as frequencies, you will need to know the specific times of day when the most comprehensive forecasts can be heard. That’s because while weather reports conclude every news bulletin, these are just one-day forecasts concentrating on capital cities with very limited information about the remainder of the state.

So in regional areas of Victoria, the Local Radio stations (e.g. 594 AM) have two reports from a BoM senior forecaster each day, Monday to Friday. The cross is usually for at least five minutes and will probably give at least a five-day forecast. There’s one at 12:35 in the Country Hour program. As each state has its own version of the Country Hour, I assume they all have a similar format. Again in Victoria, there is a five or more minute forecast from the BoM at 17:35 in the Drive program. I’m not sure about other states but I think I’ve heard reports at about that time in SA and NSW.

In addition, Local Radio regional breakfast and morning programs in Vic, SA and NSW (presumably other states and territories as well, but I haven’t visited them) also have input from the BoM at various times, but these are normally rather briefer and less comprehensive segments and may be just two-day outlooks. Best time to tune in for these is immediately before or after some news bulletins on the hour or half hour during breakfast.

At night, the time-slots for reports from the BoM vary. Recently in Victoria it’s been just before 22:00 and has also included a report from WA! Presumably this pathetic practice is to save precious funds by not employing a local announcer in WA. I haven’t bothered tuning in for a while as the focus is on the capital city and it’s rushed.

I think the ABC should be doing a better job of presenting weather information than they achieve at present, but if you compare what they’re doing to what’s available on commercial channels, then the ABC wins hands down. The main weakness from the point of view of people who are active during daylight hours (e.g. bushwalkers) is that reports from BoM at night (I recall hearing them at about 20:30 in SA) are nearly always less useful than the daytime ones. Which is specially annoying given that nocturnal reception in remote locations is much better than daytime reception. No regional forecasts at any time on weekends is also a problem. Breakfast reports often include useless trivial banter instigated by the oh-so-jolly presenter, limiting the amount of time available for information. Nevertheless, even with these hindrances I still think its worth carrying a small radio on all bushwalking trips. I’ve successfully changed my plans on a few occasions based on hearing forecasts. Radio might be old technology but one rechargeable AA battery will keep going for lots of trips!

It would be good if people from other states could provide details of when crosses to the BoM occur and also comment on the usefulness of what they hear. I’m particularly interested in any feedback because I’ve been meaning to write to the ABC for a while to ask if they could improve the way they present regional weather forecasts, so now that I’m thinking more about the issue, I’ll pursue it with them and hope to get a response.

Finally, I should mention that ABC regional stations seem to reliably broadcast warnings about significant fires and floods.

[Orion]

Thanks for all that. I suppose one can get radio (at least AM) reception in all or most of a small place like Tasmania, is that correct?

A little tricky timing when to have a listen though. I have to say I like the NOAA weather band forecast model better in the broadcast repeats continuously. What do people on boats use for getting weather information?

[north-north-west]

There are a lot of the wilder parts of Tassie where any sort of reception in dubious at best. There are all these inconvenient low bits with lumpy bits in between that interfere with transmissions.

[Neo]

Can someone suggest a small and light radio to tie-in with this?

I do have small rechargeable 3k uhf with an FM function.

Correction, the pair may be 3W not km.

[Neo]

This one is $15, 60g plus two AAA, which I also use for my headlamp...

https://www.jaycar.com.au/portable-am-f ... o/p/AR1458

[Neo]

OK its after 5. Kinda answered my own question twice

[Neo]

Cool it's been a year, I'm now a Tassie pencil pine! Look forward to seeing some of those. Neo

[DaveNoble]

In Tasmania a small radio can be well worth carrying for weather (and other updates - e.g. cricket scores). Years ago, the best reception was on the AM band, and this would still be the case in some areas (e.g. like the Old River). But if you are high in the mountains or on the Central Plateau - then there is usually very good reception of ABC stations on the FM band. Even in Pine Valley you can pick up local ABC FM stations. If you climb to the mountains then you do get much better coverage and can receive more stations. Then you need to know which stations are best to listen to and at what times. Eg, One station (it used to have the call sign 7NT for Northern Tasmania) - the presenter would, during the 6:30 am local news read out a detailed forecast with district bulletins. And at other times (usually twice before 8am) they would talk to a person at the BOM about local forecasts with an indication of the weather over the coming few days. Very useful. At other times - in the news, the weather forecast would be much more limited - e.g. the forecast for Hobart and Launceston and Burnie only, and only for that day. The detailed forecasts and crosses to the BOM would only be on week days however. Other stations that can often be picked up, like the ABC FM fine music station do have good weather forecasts but only for the 7am news. Other bulletins would only have capital city forecasts.

The radio I take is small and needs earphones, it takes one AAA battery and its total weight (in battery) is 46 g. It can listen to the AM and FM bands. I don't know of any really small digital radios. Perhaps there are some now?

Better forecasts - both for a smaller geographical area and for a longer period are available on the internet if you can get cell phone reception. Coverage seems to be improving for this too.

[Orion]

My iPod Nano (6th generation) has an FM receiver. It weighs 21g. Standard earbuds add another 11g. The specs say it will play 24 hours of music on a full charge. According to one tester on the internet, it will provide 6-8 hours of FM reception. That's plenty if all I want to hear is a once a day weather report.

The problem is figuring out what station(s) and when useful forecasts are broadcast. I don't know how I'd look that up.

[peregrinator]

Ofuros supplied a link above to the stations. I'd suggest mailing the ABC Country Hour program http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/contact/ for information on the time-slots for BoM reports in the state/territory you want to know about. You could also ask about any weather forecasts that are regularly programmed on regional stations that are broadcast at other times during the day apart from the Country Hour. Would be nice if you could repost here any info you receive.

[Orion]

Ofuros supplied a link above to the stations. I'd suggest mailing the ABC Country Hour program http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/contact/ for information on the time-slots for BoM reports in the state/territory you want to know about. You could also ask about any weather forecasts that are regularly programmed on regional stations that are broadcast at other times during the day apart from the Country Hour. Would be nice if you could repost here any info you receive.

Thanks. I don't know how I overlooked Ofuros's post.

Unless I'm missing something on their website, the reception area for ABC FM radio (and AM too) are even more limited than I'd thought. Maybe the maps they produce simply don't consider remote areas. I'll have to experiment with my little iPod.

I wonder if a maritime radio might be a better option. Probably one would be quite a bit heavier.

[peregrinator]

The maps of the estimated reception areas can be rather conservative. Nocturnal reception (for AM) is often far wider than suggested. For example, in the Gammon Ranges, the Adelaide station can be a better signal than the regional station (Port Pirie). And sometimes the signal from Melbourne is better than both!

As well as (or instead of) using a portable radio on walks, there is of course the possibility to listen on a car radio while driving between bushwalking locations on a car radio. That's when the Country Hour is worth knowing about.

[Orion]

That's what I kind of figured. You get that ionosphere bounce at night that really bumps up AM reception. But unfortunately that doesn't work for the FM receiver in my little Nano. For FM I suspect it comes down to whether being up high enough can give you a signal.

A car radio isn't part of the OP question unless you take it bushwalking with you.

[Neo]

Picked up that little Digitech am/fm from Jaycar. Is good.

Two extra AAAs no worries or I could switch in the ones I already carry when I want some news.

[bigwallclimber]

Hi All,

I know this is a simple solution but I undertook some simple weather forecasting training (Low cost high return), I mainly did this as I used to travel to very remote regions and has little to no comms except via sat phone.

I know that weatherman are 50% right most of the time, reading the weather using nature is the best way to go. I do have a suunto watch that gives the barometric pressure and using this with a storm alert on it gives me a cue to look up and gaze at the sky and marvel at our earth and at the same time look at the weather. For me it is a basic survival skill regardless of the environment or country you are in.

I rarely reply on technology and 99% of the time that is why I walk, climb, travel and get the hell out of dodge.

Dave

[Orion]

Hi All,

I know this is a simple solution but...

That's option 5, with a bit of option 4 thrown in. Kind of the default method almost everybody uses.

[north-north-west]

Hi All,

I know this is a simple solution but...

That's option 5, with a bit of option 4 thrown in. Kind of the default method almost everybody uses.

For it to work, you have to know what is meant by what you see. A surprising number of people don't.

[Aushiker]

Just came across this app for Apple and Android ... Epic Ride Weather. It is targeted at cyclists but would work by the looks just as well for bushwalking. There is a trial period but extended usage requires a payment.

[Orion]

For it to work, you have to know what is meant by what you see.

Point taken.

All the years I've spent in our mountains and I still get fooled sometimes about what's coming next. So it's unlikely I'll ever be that good at it somewhere else.