Weather Forecasting Services
My venturing into hill country has caused to pour over weather forecasts rather than was the case when I contented myself with visiting places that could be called honeypots. The fact that hill country can generate its own weather and micro-climate drives the needs of those who frequent it further beyond that of mainstream users and what is provided by the forecasts geared towards them. This situation is accentuated by the maritime climate that pervades Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man with faster moving weather systems making forecasting more tricky than for a largely continental landmass such as the U.S.A. The result of the latter consideration is that there are a number of sources of weather information to be put together for a wider feel for what is likely to greet you when out among hills. The order in which I have compiled the list reflects both the amount of use that I make of the websites listed and their utility when it comes to exploring those parts of these islands so here goes…
This is my first port of call for weather information these days, partly because of the BBC’s insistence on changing how they present their forecasts but also due to what they offer for planning an outdoors excursion. Naturally, the main provider of the U.K.’s weather forecasting has a lot to offer and they upped their game not so long ago.
That’s all because they have some major improvements up their sleeve that are there to be tried out by the brave. Included among these is an expansion in the number of forecasting sites and they have a place on their website where you can get forecasts for more than has been the case until now. When I went having a poke around, I even found forecasts for the tops of hills and hostels along with the more usual residential areas. Let’s hope that this welcome development makes it out of beta testing the enhanced map-based presentation of recent and future weather looks interesting too, though I wouldn’t want to lose the regional and all-UK five day maps that we have now.
Returning to the present, national, regional and location five day forecasting is the main offering with some longer range forecasts to be had also. The availability of mountain area forecasts for Scotland’s Eastern and Western Highlands, the Cumbrian fells, Snowdonia the Brecon Beacons, the Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District have to be mentioned on a web outpost like this. In addition, there are surface pressure maps for three to four days at a time and very useful rainfall radar charts. Add weather warnings to the mix and a very rounded service in on offer here.
Mountain Weather Information Service
There is no way that a list of weather website for use when planning an outdoors outing can exclude the venerable MWIS. The Scottish hills are the mainstay here with Southern Uplands, Southeastern Highlands, Cairngorms and Monadhliath, Western Highlands and Northwest Highlands all getting a seven day service. Also getting a seven day offering are the Cumbrian fells with the Peak District and Snowdonia receiving attention for three days a week (Friday to Sunday inclusive). Complimenting this is their sharing of Met Office synoptic charts for the North Atlantic whose usefulness cannot be disputed so long as you know know to read the things but you always can go to the Met Office website for explanations of the various symbols on there.
There is a seasonal aspect to the work of this organisation in that felltop assessors take it in turns to ascend Helvellyn every day throughout the winter to assess the conditions on its top. That’s vital when the Cumbrian fells get of coating of snow, particularly given the development of cornices and the likelihood of avalanches, and when things get stormy as they have done at times this winter. There was a time when this work was supported by the Lake District National Park Authority but government spending cuts have meant that alternative sources funding have had to be sought. Let’s hope the service continues. As well as the regular forecasts drafted by the Met Office and winter hillwalking advice, there are photos taken by the assessors too so you can experience a little of what they see.
This is Ireland’s main meteorological service and they got better in recent times too; a precipitation (mostly rain but hail or snow is not unknown either) radar page can be found on the site now. Though more of a general service with specialisations for industries like agriculture and fishing, their forecasts do give you an idea of what you might get. Outlooks are given up to five days ahead and and three day variants are split into region and county too.
The idea of paying this spot a visit was in mind for a while before I made something of it so it should be no surprise that I found the website for its weather service. For such a small island, it’s amazing how varied its weather can be, a point that was driven home to me of a Sunday on a mixed Mayday bank holiday weekend. Sea area forecasting is vital for a place like the Isle of Man so it should come as no surprise that it takes up as much space in the forecasts as it does.
This is a recently discovered upstart and very useful it is too. Forecasting is a little further into the future than the more cautious Met Office or Met Éireann but everyone should know things are less certain the further ahead you look anyway. It’s a useful overview of what lies ahead and with some quirky insights too.
Accuweather U.K. and Ireland
Accuweather.com International
When Online Weather existed, I was a regular visitor because of its regional weather overview maps but it got taken over by Accuweather and that meant changes when it became Accuweather U.K. and Ireland. Sadly, those useful overview maps are gone now but longer term weather forecasting is its compensation, as precarious as that can be for a grouping of islands on the eastern fringes of the North Atlantic. One thing that has stayed the course is the mountain forecasting section and it is that which guarantees Accuweather a place on this listing, especially for the coverage of Irish mountain areas. While some in Ireland may not have the most favourable opinion of the accuracy of the forecasts, having a few different sources of information helps to build up a more complete picture. Accuweather.com International may seem a surprising inclusion when there is a local variant but there have been times when it has been better for location forecasting than its British and Irish counterpart.
You cannot really avoid mentioning the BBC when it comes to U.K. weather. However, their offering isn’t the first port of call for me anymore since they changed their way of doing things. Now that the presentation is largely visual, I find myself wanting that little extra but they are a public service broadcaster and that shines through here. Symbols have gone the way of the dodo and it is left to colour coding to highlight cloud, rain and so on. In its own way, it does work but an old fashioned synoptic map has no substitute for me and I go elsewhere these days.
The Weather Outlook
weather.co.uk
While I cannot say that I have ever used either of these very much, they’re added here for a greater sense of completeness. The first one concerns itself with looking ahead in a more general fashion while the second is a variation on the Accuweather theme.
