A Solution For Predicting Travel Weather

[fudge_brownie]

Winter travel brings on a new set of problems for the Escape traveler. There has been several discussions on travel to and from Chilliwack, dealing with the Cascade Mountains, west coast mountain passes and in my case Snowbird ventures to the warmer climates. Even with through research I have been caught at least twice by winter storms. There just did not seem to be a definitive means of seeing the big picture and how that affected the route I wanted.

Well, I think I have found the app that solves much of the uncertainty. It is called Highway Weather. It is free and available for Android or Apple devices. Here is what it does:

1. Plans a route using start and end points. Adding stops is available.
2. Lets you choose from displayed routes.
3. Selecting "Plan Ahead", gives you the best early departure time, based on weather.
4. Allows you to select what time you want to start and then displays the conditions to be expected at select cities and counties on the route.
5. Displays the results as a list or a map.
   • The list shows weather alerts on the route.
   • The map gives a summary conditions at the selected locations
   • Detail adds high and low temperatures.
6. Recommends rest stops for longer routes.

The app is not a trip planner, I found the routes it recommended were not what I would choose, however they were very close and certainly adequate for weather projections. The app is best in the 24 hours before departure when alerts have been issued and better projections are available. Further out and it is weaker. This app is dependent on weather, more specifically weather forecasts, we all know how to trust those.

The strength of this app is to organize forecasts along your route, in this it does an excellent job. It is still your responsibility to make a sound decision. It does give you its opinion by recommending a departure time.

I do not have access to cable TV and the likes of Weather Channel. There is not an online equivalent. Likewise, when travelling you may not have TV as an information source, this is a good alternative. I have not tested the app in other parts of the country, there maybe different results.

Safe Travels!

[Jim Bennett]

I mostly use the a Weather Network app, and find it to be quite accurate.

I also just step outside and get a feel for things.

[cpaharley2008]

Why eliminate the unknown, I always looked forward to riding out storms in rest areas parked between 2 semis or under bridges while my weather bug keeps going off..........
I can not believe that not a single auto manufacturer offers a weather radio in their car or truck, that would be very helpful or standard internet that plays off your phone or vice versa.

[fudge_brownie]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I mostly use the a Weather Network app, and find it to be quite accurate.

I also just step outside and get a feel for things.

Thanks for the nice comments. Will your sense of feel work in New Mexico. If you do not like the product review it is better to be silent. Remember we want to be positive and encouraging.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by fudge_brownie

If you do not like the product review it is better to be silent.

That's now how a forum works. The comments are comments. I too use Weather Network app and Environment Canada weather app. I can do my own best guess of where I want to be and look up weather.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by fudge_brownie

Thanks for the nice comments. Will your sense of feel work in New Mexico. If you do not like the product review it is better to be silent. Remember we want to be positive and encouraging.

Sorry, not following your comments.

[fudge_brownie]

I know the forum has some limitations. It is a forum after all. Like you Jim, I have been a member since its inception, as a matter of fact I think you pointed out one time in a post that we both joined on the same day. I also realize that you have been involved in the alternative to the forum and I applaud your efforts in that arena. I have enjoyed that alternative very much. You established this alternative as a response, because you thought things had changed on this forum.

It has also become apparent to me on this forum that my time has passed. I do not have the latest model of Escape, am unfamiliar with how they are now coming configured, have not done a wire transfer in six years, do not worry about fabrics and floor covering. My knowledge is that of a sage who has owned two for going on ten years. I limit myself to comments to the topics that I feel I have some insight. I cannot say that for everyone on the forum.

Too many times there are postings that have nothing to do with the topics at hand. They are drivel thrown into the conversation, they would be better left out. It is a part of the forum. I can live with that and ignore those postings. They add nothing to the topic at hand. Does a posting add value, is it appreciated, does it encourage responses and do new members gain from it? Sometimes, many times, I am not sure.

At the same time it seems there should be some decorum on the forum. If you have something useful to add to the conversation. please do it, if not, do not waste your time, and everyone else who will read your ramblings.

If I were a newbie who posted this new thread how would they feel reading the responses to a product review. Take some time to read the replies above. As an established member I can take it, I just want you to take a look at what example the three replies give, a total of 49,000 plus responses between the three, all senior members. Yet, they do not show much leadership, forum support, product knowledge (did any of you actually look at the product being reviewed before posting?) or any input to further the review.

Maybe my suggestion is to all senior members, is it time to step back from your comments, suggestions and responses? There are plenty of new members who have much more knowledge and skill, perhaps a better means of expression in writing. Let them take over.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by fudge_brownie

Maybe my suggestion is to all senior members, is it time to step back from your comments, suggestions and responses? There are plenty of new members who have much more knowledge and skill, perhaps a better means of expression in writing. Let them take over.

If it weren't for comments from senior members giving their opinions of the app you reviewed, there would be no posts in this thread, other than your OP.

[ThomasG]

Back to the OP's subject...

I had trouble finding the Environment Canada weather app. Here is a link to it (both Apple and Android): https://www.canada.ca/en/environment...eathercan.html

For the CONUS (48 contiguous US states) I've found the loops in the National Weather Service Graphical Forecasts to be very useful (https://graphical.weather.gov/sector...sLoop.php#tabs). The way I most often use it is to click on the "Loops" tab, select "Weather" from the first pull down, then step though the animation with the "Looping Control". The day and time for each step in the animation is shown just above the looping control. There is a lot more info available, so plan to spend a little time getting with this web page.

[arniesea]

Hey Paul,

Thanks for the tip! It looks promising. I have downloaded the app and will test it out on our 3,500 mile trip starting at the end of this month. Heading from the Puget Sound area to Tucson, then to Joshua Tree, North up US 395 to I-80, west to the Redwoods, then a slow meander up the Oregon Coast to home. I'll post to this thread on my return.

Always looking for new tools in the toolbox!

[dfandrews]

The source of data for most all weather sites and the major media forecasting, is the National Weather Service, so why not do what we do, and go directly to their site. You can pick your location, and not have to rely on someone's weather forecast for the closest big city.

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClic...&lon=-116.1934
(I just picked Boise, ID as an example.)

It works on our computer, and on our phones. By the way, guess who sends out those alerts that you get on the news programs!

You can expand or zoom the map, and click on new locations anywhere in the US. If you click on a Canadian location, it will send you to weather.gc.ca, and their site has a new mobile weather app.

[Perry Butler]

Thanks Paul for an app that I'll give a try.

I posted a few weeks ago on what route we should take to the SW. Because there was a chance of snow on 70 through Colorado we decided to dip down to Albuquerque and across to Flagstaff then to Lake Mead. We were using the National Weather Service and the route looked promising.

Literally within a couple of miles entering New Mexico we ran into rain that was freezing on our windshield edges and the front of the pickup and camper. When we got to Albuquerque the weather quit, but 30 miles past the rain started again soon turning to slick snow. There is nothing worse than newly freezing roads and snow and we're from Minnesota.

We got to Gallup and found a motel to stay the night. Our pickup and camper easily had a few hundred extra pounds of ice/snow when we stopped. We weren't the only ones stopping at the motel because of the dangerous conditions.

Going the southern route was the wrong move and we would have been more comfortable with light snow across Colorado. Perhaps this app would have given us more accurate options and guidance.

Thanks,

Perry

[fudge_brownie]

There certainly are more robust apps and websites out there, sites with much more data. Here the developers have just taken existing data from the weather service and organized it around mapping software.

It’s strength lies in its providing an easy method to get the necessary information. It requires no special knowledge of government websites and the interpretation of their information. It finds the cities and counties to make the measurements and presents it in an easy to understand format. I have to give credit to the developers,

Some unanswered questions, does it work in Canada and how is the coverage in more remote areas of the country where weather information is sparce.

[JStelly]

Thanks for the suggestion. I will try it on our next trip.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by fudge_brownie

I know the forum has some limitations. It is a forum after all. Like you Jim, I have been a member since its inception, as a matter of fact I think you pointed out one time in a post that we both joined on the same day. I also realize that you have been involved in the alternative to the forum and I applaud your efforts in that arena. I have enjoyed that alternative very much. You established this alternative as a response, because you thought things had changed on this forum.

It has also become apparent to me on this forum that my time has passed. I do not have the latest model of Escape, am unfamiliar with how they are now coming configured, have not done a wire transfer in six years, do not worry about fabrics and floor covering. My knowledge is that of a sage who has owned two for going on ten years. I limit myself to comments to the topics that I feel I have some insight. I cannot say that for everyone on the forum.

Too many times there are postings that have nothing to do with the topics at hand. They are drivel thrown into the conversation, they would be better left out. It is a part of the forum. I can live with that and ignore those postings. They add nothing to the topic at hand. Does a posting add value, is it appreciated, does it encourage responses and do new members gain from it? Sometimes, many times, I am not sure.

At the same time it seems there should be some decorum on the forum. If you have something useful to add to the conversation. please do it, if not, do not waste your time, and everyone else who will read your ramblings.

If I were a newbie who posted this new thread how would they feel reading the responses to a product review. Take some time to read the replies above. As an established member I can take it, I just want you to take a look at what example the three replies give, a total of 49,000 plus responses between the three, all senior members. Yet, they do not show much leadership, forum support, product knowledge (did any of you actually look at the product being reviewed before posting?) or any input to further the review.

Maybe my suggestion is to all senior members, is it time to step back from your comments, suggestions and responses? There are plenty of new members who have much more knowledge and skill, perhaps a better means of expression in writing. Let them take over.

Your comment reminded me of this scene in Smokey and the Bandit re" germane "responses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyWVPHoFGJA

[Dave Walter]

For weather forecasts, I really like using this site: https://spotwx.com/ as it allows you to get a short term or long term forecast for any location that you choose, and it also gives you multiple options for different forecasts. If you don't like a forecast, you can try another! My son (who is a mountain guide in Banff) uses this site all of the time for generating weather forecasts before he takes clients out to an area.

[brightday]

Thanks, Fudge Brownie! I forgot that I downloaded the app and believe it'll be of great help to me as I begin venturing north next month.

[Tonny LR]

Hello Paul,
Thank you for sharing the weather App. I appreciated you taking time to post it in the forum.

Tonny LR

[SamIam]

What an interesting app.
Just downloaded it.

Sam

[C&G in FL]

With my tongue in my cheek, I can unequivocally state that I have no concerns when it comes to winter travel. In fact, the only time I have driven in snow since 1985 was in South Dakota and Wyoming on my way to Osoyoos this past spring. Reminded me why I relocated from New Hampshire way back when. Of course, I now flee my current location when the mercury starts it’s climb to the summit of Mt. Everest. Death Valley, anyone?