What to do with the weather?

[superbenk]

We live 1,5 hrs from the closest nice body of water & we constantly struggle with knowing what to do when the weather calls for thunderstorms at some point during the day but is never very specific. We were going to go today but the weather said severe storms starting at 10:30 so we called it off & now (@ 10) the weather has changed and the storms aren't expected until 4ish. It'd take us 30-45 mins just to get on the road so it's hard to justify. Very frustrating as we've now just wasted a perfectly good Saturday for boating. How do the rest of you deal with this kind of stuff?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: What to do with the weather?

i only go on days that don't call for storms

 

[superbenk]

Re: What to do with the weather?

i only go on days that don't call for storms

That would eliminate most days during the season up here in eastern PA.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: What to do with the weather?

Sounds like it ruined your day anyway. Just go and have a plan B.

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: What to do with the weather?

I always figure 30% chance means no rain... 60% means stay home. Weekends during tourist season are no go days no matter the weather.

 

[JoLin]

Re: What to do with the weather?

That would eliminate most days during the season up here in eastern PA.

And a lot of other places, too. A weather radar app might help. Weather reports tend to be too general and cover too wide an area to be useful. Being able to track the patterns yourself might give you a better idea of whether it's gonna get you.

Oh- and I also agree with crabbycaptainjohn- he was posting same time I was. at 60% chance I stay home, too.

 

[Turn-n-Burn]

Re: What to do with the weather?

agree with crabby!! "Darn the torpedoes", a 30% chance of thunderstorms and if there is one, it lasts 15 minutes at most. I just throw up the bimini and wait it out then continue on. The season and time to go out is short enough as is.

 

[superbenk]

Re: What to do with the weather?

Agreed with all. It was a 60% chance, it just moved in time. You're right that we should have gone with a plan B. Would be easier if there was more enthusiasm from the family & willingness to tolerate things. Oh well, as was said the season is really short & I'm just very frustrated at wasting what turned out to be a really good day.

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: What to do with the weather?

I always figure 30% chance means no rain... 60% means stay home. Weekends during tourist season are no go days no matter the weather.

This is generally what I go with. A big help also (and not that hard) is to take a few hours and read some information about what the weather is actually telling you. For example just get an understanding of what the pressures mean and such, then pull up any one of the great websites that will show you weather trends for a specific area for say the past six months. You can then see what the weather details looked like against the predictions for those times and have a much better understanding of what you should do when the next forcast comes up.

I take hunting entirely too seriously and I have been studying trends and moon phases for years in my hunting area. It's to the point that on most days I pay hardly any attention to the predictions and more attention to the data and come to my own conclusion. Theres been many days that the weather will say rain is 50-60% with high winds and I decide I disagree and have a calm cloudy hunting day.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: What to do with the weather?

Well now don't get me wrong... I have the TWC app on my phone and I'll look at the radar to see where the storms actually are.... most of the time they move in from the south east so as long as it's clear that way we're GTG

I don't mind a quick storm on the hook either but the big storms that last for hours are no fun at all

 

[younggun]

Re: What to do with the weather?

I am usually bass fishing so I just go anytime its under 60% and throw on a rain suit if it starts

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: What to do with the weather?

HHMMmmm -- I used to live where the season was short near Lake Erie. Decided to move where there is no need to winterize and fish/boat all year.

agree with crabby!! "Darn the torpedoes", a 30% chance of thunderstorms and if there is one, it lasts 15 minutes at most. I just throw up the bimini and wait it out then continue on. The season and time to go out is short enough as is.

 

[NYBo]

Re: What to do with the weather?

Rain is no biggie, but lightning? No, thanks.

 

[Air Traffic]

Re: What to do with the weather?

I guess I check to see if they are convective T-storms or a frontal passage. In Michigan, the convective t-storms usually don'y hit until the temp builds late afternoon or early evening. If that is what is predicted I just try to get out early and hope I'm right ( with 1 eye looking to the sky). If they are from a front passage I would use the 30-60 rule also.

 

[superbenk]

Re: What to do with the weather?

Well, surprise, surprise. It's nearly 6:30pm & I haven't seen anything resembling even a threat of a drop of rain all day. What a bummer & shame on me for being scared off from inland lake boating by a stupid forecast (I can appreciate the attention to weather when you're off-shore by miles, but I should have known better when visiting a little couple-hundred acre lake). Bah!!

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: What to do with the weather?

My grandfather always just went out (Delaware Bay) so long as it was good at that moment. If he saw rain coming or the wind picked up he debated it. If he heard thunder or could see wicked clouds the lines were pulled and he headed for shore.

 

[superbenk]

Re: What to do with the weather?

My grandfather always just went out (Delaware Bay) so long as it was good at that moment. If he saw rain coming or the wind picked up he debated it. If he heard thunder or could see wicked clouds the lines were pulled and he headed for shore.

He probably also lived much closer to the water than me. For me it's a 3hr drive time (round trip) gamble. That was today's dilemma & we should have gambled

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: What to do with the weather?

Well me and my dad were about five minutes from the slip where he kept his boat and it was our property he stored it during the winter but he lived about 1hr to 1hr 15m from us so he made a good drive to get out.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: What to do with the weather?

I go regardless, but I'll leave at the first distant rumble of thunder.

Watching the weather radar helps a lot with tracking storms, but don't depend on it completely. I've had strong thunder storms develop right on top of me with no advance warning from the radar.

Around here it can rain harder and longer with a 30% chance of rain than with an 80% chance.

Watch the skies and listen for the thunder, and don't get too far away from the ramp of "iffy" days.

 

[In Deep]

Re: What to do with the weather?

Do a search and see if there are any webcams on the lake. I always check them and radar before heading out. Where I live it could be stormy at home and clear skies at the lake.