This post was written as part of the Humber College Weather Forecasting course. Students were asked to answer the two questions below.
Why is weather forecasting important on a camp trip?
Weather has the ability to turn a trip from great to disastrous. Understanding the weather you may encounter on a trip can help you improve your overall trip experience.
On my most recent trip out, the weekend started off a beautiful 15 degrees C with the sun out. Day 2 turned to a rain that made me very thankful for packing my full rain gear. Day 3 I was quite happy to have my winter coat when we woke up to snow. Anticipating the conditions by understanding the weather forecast allowed me to be better prepared and have a great time despite chancing conditions.
Maybe it looks like rain on your next trip. Packing an extra tarp and some rain gear might make the difference between spending the day in your tent or actually being able to get outside. Maybe the temperature is rising on your winter trip. Better plan for wet gear if it goes above freezing.
Weather can also create very dangerous situations. Staying off open water at mid-day at the peak of summer heat might just save you from an unplanned dip in the lake with your gear. Knowing when to get off the lake during a rainstorm or take cover during a thunderstorm might just save your life.
It would probably take years to become truly in tune with the weather, but knowing just a few simple things can certainly make a big difference in your tripping experience.
What are some tools you can bring with you on a trip?
Some items you may consider bringing on your next trip:
A radio capable of receiving Weatheradio Canada or NOAA Weather Radio frequencies (162.400, 162.425, 162.450, 162.475, 162.500, 162.525, or 162.550 MHz).
These radio’s can often receive traditional AM and FM frequencies as well but can be set to receive the weather band as well which is used uniformly across Canada and the United States. Because of the high frequency of the band, the signal can carry additional alerting data allowing some radios to filter out unwanted weather reports or play an additional audible tone to ensure reports that meet your filter are heard.
A barometric altimeter
This device measures the atmospheric pressure. While a single reading of the atmospheric pressure may not be particularly useful, a change in pressure can indicate an incoming weather system allowing you to prepare in advance. Not sure if those clouds are bringing a storm? Keep an eye on that barometric altimeter!
A thermometer
Although you can probably judge for yourself whether you’re hot or cold, a thermometer can provide useful information. Knowing what the actual temperatures were on your trip may help you plan better for your next trip. It may also help you identify the subtle differences between what you read in the forecast and the specific temperature patterns of your favourite place to set up basecamp.This could also be potentially important for food preservation if you’ve brought temperature sensitive items with you on your trip.
A hydrometer
Humidity can greatly impact our bodies perception of the temperature and overall comfort. It can also give you clues to incoming weather systems. A hydrometer allows you to know the current humidity levels and watch for changes
Stormproof matches
While not specifically a “weather tool” I’d argue that these are a pretty solid “weatherproofing” strategy. Since they’ll light in almost any conditions and even stay lit after being fully submerged in water they’re a piece of gear I always carry to know I’m prepared for whatever weather comes my way.
Image – “Dry Campground” – Ed Dunens – CC BY-NC 2.0
Great tips. Most adventure watches now have barometers built in and even track pressure trends. Interesting tool. Although sad to admit, most parks we visit have at least some cell reception which turns your smart phone into an accurate weather forecasting tool. Plenty of apps available to watch incoming weather patterns or lightning strikes.