AVOID RUINING YOUR TRAVEL PLANS!
Have you ever had your plans ruined by the weather? Since Consu and I moved to the United Kingdom, we’ve become obsessed with checking the weather reports twice a day to ensure we can make the most of any good weather. Unfortunately, the UK isn’t known for its consistent sunshine and beach-worthy temperatures. That’s why we’ve tried out several weather apps to help us plan our days.
Back in Spain, Consu is used to enjoying a healthy dose of sunshine with temperatures ranging from 23-40°C between April and September (and sometimes even into October). And as for me, coming from tropical Malaysia, I was used to 28-36°C temperatures all year round. Needless to say, the weather was never a problem for us in our home countries. But in colder and rainier countries, it’s a whole different story.
With these weather apps, we’ve found a way to make the most of our time in the UK, despite the unpredictable weather.
Mobile Phone Weather App & Free Websites
AccuWeather.com
The weather plays a big role in our daily lives, so we’ve always relied on the AccuWeather app to keep us updated. However, we quickly realized that just knowing the temperature isn’t always enough. The wind and gusts can make a big difference in how enjoyable outdoor activities can be, especially if you’re planning a day at the beach or out on the water kayaking or paddleboarding.
While AccuWeather does provide important information on current weather conditions, such as temperature, precipitation chance, MinuteCast® for predicting rain, and sunrise/sunset times, we found it to be lacking in some areas.
Although the app is available for FREE on both mobile phones and the website, we needed more detailed information to plan our outdoor activities effectively. After trying several other weather apps, we finally found one that met all our needs. See below for the alternative website.
Windy.com
After trying several weather apps, we’ve found that Windy.com is our new go-to source for predicting the weather. This app displays real-time data and we’ve noticed that its forecasts are about 95% accurate.
What sets Windy.com apart is that it provides detailed information on wind direction, wave height in the sea, wind strength, and gusts strength. We used the app throughout the spring and summer of 2020 and it worked wonders for us. By using it, we were able to pinpoint the best times and locations for our outdoor activities.
One of the app’s most useful features is its live-map. We could pick a specific time slot and location and then zoom out to view the weather conditions in nearby areas. This saved us time and helped us avoid traveling to a beach two hours away, only to find that the weather was mediocre at best.
With Windy.com, we were able to avoid any beach days with winds blowing at over 8 knots, which can make a day at the beach less enjoyable. Although the app is available as a basic forecast on mobile phones, we prefer to use the website to access its more advanced features and data. Overall, we highly recommend this app to anyone looking for an accurate and comprehensive weather forecast.
Wind vs Gusts
On the website, you’ll find 2 values on the chart.
Wind refers to the constant speed of air blowing in a particular area, similar to sitting in front of a table fan where the air blows on your face with a consistent speed over time.
Gusts refer to a sudden increase in the speed of air blowing in a particular area, similar to using a hand-powered fan that produces bursts of wind in short time spans (typically 1-5 seconds). These gusts can be characterized as a sudden strong rush of wind.
The wind/gusts are displayed in Knots (kts).
1 Knot = 1.15 Miles per hour (mph) = 1.85 Kilometres per hour (kmh)
Are you saying that you don’t like windy days?
Well, yes and no. It all depends.
Most of the time, we go for walks and hang out on the beach. On those days, we prefer wind speeds to be under 8 knots. Any stronger, and we risk getting wind-chills and dust flying off the ground, as Consuelo found out when sand blew into her face on a gusty day.
But when I go out sailing on my kayak, I want more wind! Ideally, the wind should be between 5-10 knots, and gusts should be less than 16 knots. Any stronger, and I’ll have to call off the idea of going into the water – I learned that the hard way. If the wind is any weaker than 5 knots, I’ll stick to paddling my kayak instead.
What else can we do with Windy.com?
Confirming Future Weather Conditions
There’s a great use of Windy.com! Cloud movement can give important clues about weather patterns, and being able to predict a storm can help you stay safe and avoid getting caught in the rain. It’s always better to be prepared, and having access to real-time weather data can be very helpful in making informed decisions about outdoor activities.
Live Destination Webcams
On the live maps, when you click into a particular destination name, you could also watch live webcams of the city/location. They are all listed and most of them were free to view.
Most webcam providers offer free basic services that allow you to view live webcams of different locations, and some charge a fee for additional ‘premium’ functions such as zooming in or turning the camera.
Switch on the markers for the map from the bottom right ‘More layers’ tab.
Weather News
This website also has a severe weather news timeline that you can follow and get updated on the progress.
Click on the top left Menu to get to this function.
Hurricane Tracker
In this day and age, we have Hurricanes being called by so many names that we can’t even remember. The good news is, you can go on this website to track them and where they are heading. If its heading towards your city, maybe its a good time to pack-up and leave? Just kidding.
Click on the top left Menu to get to this function.
Swells for Surfing
Alrighty then, I know you surfer-dudes trust your eyes more than charts. But at least you could have a heads up of what’s going on on the beach without leaving home or when you’re on the go. Handy, isn’t it?
Active Fire Hotspots
I believe that this function would be widely used in summer-time for the northern hemisphere when the weather is dry and hot, causing bush fires.
Switch on the markers for the map from the bottom right ‘More layers’ tab.
Air Quality Reports
If you’re health conscious or have severe health-issues related to air pollution, this could be a handy function for you especially when you’re travelling abroad. If the air quality is poor, consider bringing your face masks or reroute to another destination.
Switch on the markers for the map from the bottom right ‘More layers’ tab.
In a nutshell
In short, you should check out this website. Its a great source of data about the daily weather around us.
There are tons more functions that I haven’t mentioned on here that could be useful to make your life easier! Go check it out on Windy.com