Weather - Do your own forecast

[bubba zanetti]

I live by weather. I have a Davis Vantage Pro 2 weather system here at my house. So far, I ... an idiot on the web, cannot link it to a web page. It makes me crazy but it is true.

But ... I have some links for you so that those of you can read the weather and make informed decisions before you ride.

The first is the Jet Stream. It is a 'river' of wind that flows around the world. If you have ever seen any current move you know how it can drag things to it. So it is with the Jet Stream. Essentially. When it is above you ... temps will be warmer as it tends to drag warmer air from the south. If below you, it tends to bring cooler air from the north. It gets a bit more complicated in summer depending on what is happening below you or above you in localized weather. http://weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/jet_stream/index_e.html

Radar ... weather flows from west to east due to the rotation of the earth. Have a look at the jet stream ... look at the weather radar and voila ... you will know what is headed your way ... http://weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/radar/index_e.html

Satellite. For us Canuckleheads ... here is a page that covers the whole country. I use the IR images as they tend to show weather better than the composite ... http://weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/satellite/index_e.html


Over time I will add other links to local weather stations ...  still cannot get my own weather station here in Castlegar to link to the website ...   I have a friend coming in who hopefully will do this ...

Anyhoo post weather info here ....

This is what the page looks like ....

[gregc]

I got my pilots license in college and took a meterology class in college and know what a weather map says.  If I could do it over again I would have gotten a degree in meteorology.  I like being able to look at maps and determine if the news if fulla shit or if it may rain, be crappy or nice.  I'm not an expert, but I know what blue or red spikey lines mean, winds, fronts, high, lows and the such.  It is very liberating not having to be told by someone what the weather is going to be.

When I got married my wife would say the news said it is going to rain or storm and I would look at the weather websites and say to the contrary of the news and she wouldn't believe me, now she does.  I'm wrong, but usually only if it is a marginal day.  If you give me a % chance of rain I can be fairly accurate by looking at maps and current conditions.

[bubba zanetti]

I got my pilots license in college and took a meterology class in college and know what a weather map says.  If I could do it over again I would have gotten a degree in meteorology.  I like being able to look at maps and determine if the news if fulla shit or if it may rain, be crappy or nice.  I'm not an expert, but I know what blue or red spikey lines mean, winds, fronts, high, lows and the such.  It is very liberating not having to be told by someone what the weather is going to be.

When I got married my wife would say the news said it is going to rain or storm and I would look at the weather websites and say to the contrary of the news and she wouldn't believe me, now she does.  I'm wrong, but usually only if it is a marginal day.  If you give me a % chance of rain I can be fairly accurate by looking at maps and current conditions.

Kewl    Same here. I am a failed commercial pilot having done my training in the late 70's and greatly enjoyed the weather training we had, kayaked alot in Victoria, ride motorcycles and generally agree with you about the forecasts. The worst forecasts are from The Weanter Network here in Canada, at least here in the west. Do not even look at them apart from current weather or perhaps a one day window.

BTW .. it does not say on your bio where you are from ???  

[KillerB]

When I got married my wife would say the news said it is going to rain or storm and I would look at the weather websites and say to the contrary of the news and she wouldn't believe me, now she does.

Same here.  I flew commercially for 11 years.  The Met course(s) that I've taken and taught over the years has given me some insight into the subtleties of the weather.  Or so I like to think.    I'd like to get one of those full blown weather stations for home, but then my secret identity as a weather geek will be out in the open for my family to see.

[bizarro]

That's very, very cool......... bookmarks galore.  

[bubba zanetti]

Wow. It is cold this morning -14 here.

[Against The Wind]

Rumour has it that if you predict that tomorrow's weather will be the same as today's the chance of you being correct is higher than the success rate of the official forecast.

Of course there are rumours out there that I'm a wild and sexy guy with loads of money and a tractor.

[bubba zanetti]

Cold out there this morning and windy. Bundle up !!

[Against The Wind]

Yes, it's very very cold outside here. I believe it's minus one or so.

[bubba zanetti]

Can't recall the last time I saw -20 temps in Kelowna !  

A paultry -14 here but well into the high 20's elsewhere. At least the wind has stopped. Brrr ....

[RedNeil]

All this chat about home-brew weather stations and I have suggest adding this  link to your forthcoming list of weather links

http://wx.ca/

It's not mine... This is a station in west-central Calgary.  He's about 20 blocks north of me and about 30 km from the airport... so temps can vary quite a bit.
Its nice to get the up-to-the-minute reading compared to Environment Canada's hourly reports.