Online Weather Forecasts

[marks]

I use metvuw (http://www.metvuw.co.nz/forecast/forecast.php?type=rain&region=nzni&noofdays=7) - but I am interested if there are better sites out there. I'm generally trying to get a feel for the weather 3-4 days out so I can fit a couple of day escape into normal work/family stuff.

cheers

Mark

[scorry]

wow that site looks hard to undersand, try this one http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/index.php?alias=wellington

[Nordy]

that site confirmed what i thought, tonight is going to be SHIT weather for mountain biking.

Thanks for the link.

[BASS-TREBLE]

wow that site looks hard to undersand, try this one http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/index.php?alias=wellington

I use the satellite image one as it shows you whats coming up and is amazingly accurate from my experience. It only works if you know where you live on the map though =)

[slofox]

http://www.fencepost.com/ Select the "weather" tab.

This one is quite good - easy to understand and has two day or twelve day forecasts available. You have to register (free) for the twelve day forecasts.

[tri boy]

Metvuw and the kiwi met service are good to get local images/charts from.
I also like the Aussie met service to see whats coming our way.
Their Pacific and Indian Ocean charts, as well as there 7day active charts help also.
www.bom.gov.au

[twotyred]

I use this one from Telstra Clear

http://www.telstraclear.co.nz/news/weather/your-town/index.cfm?location=Wellington

[madandy]

Metvuw and the kiwi met service are good to get local images/charts from.
I also like the Aussie met service to see whats coming our way.
Their Pacific and Indian Ocean charts, as well as there 7day active charts help also.
www.bom.gov.au

I use METVUW at work.
Sky channel 98 at home.

that www.bom.gov.au link will be usefull too, cheers tri boy

[marks]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

I checked all the links out and unfortunately they all say the same thing....

THE WEATHER IS SHIT

[Romeo]

This one's pretty good.

<a href="http://www.metservice.com/default/index.php?alias=rainfcst_7daytas">Met Service 7 day rain forecast</a>


<img src="http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b383/RomeoEskobar/test.png" alt="x" />

[RC1]

http://home.nzcity.co.nz/weather/weatherdetail.aspx?wla=32

[OV Lander]

I use metvuw (http://www.metvuw.co.nz/forecast/forecast.php?type=rain&region=nzni&noofdays=7) - but I am interested if there are better sites out there. I'm generally trying to get a feel for the weather 3-4 days out so I can fit a couple of day escape into normal work/family stuff.

cheers

Mark

Mark,

I look at weather paterns on a daily basis to help make hi cost field operational decisions. Metvuw has proven time and tie again to be the most reliable.

OV

[Moki]

I use metvuw (http://www.metvuw.co.nz/forecast/forecast.php?type=rain&region=nzni&noofdays=7) - but I am interested if there are better sites out there. I'm generally trying to get a feel for the weather 3-4 days out so I can fit a couple of day escape into normal work/family stuff.

cheers

Mark


I find that the Metservice is pretty good. Simply go for the opposite of what they forecast and you'll find a higher degree of accuracy.

[Moki]

I think you'll find that accurate weather forecasting is a commodity and big business at that. The most accurate weather forecast will always be for the site the the forcast has been produced for-a theoretical column of air upwards from the forecast, point believe it or not!. And given the maritime climate we enjoy here, local conditions and topological features heavily influence the weather we see on the ground.

As for forecasting rubbish weather, I find that 300mb upper air analysis combined with the 85Omb isobaric analysis will provide an accurate indication of 1) the track of any active fronts and relative strengths/intensity; and 2) ground level wind directions and speeds with (figuring in 15 degree clockwise backing on the surface). A quick look at an upstream skew-t LogP analysis also helps when considered upper air dew points, cloud cover, winds aloft, freezing levels. problem is these are mostly provided in code so hard to interpret unless one's used to decyphering these sort of things.

The key to look for is the current position of the jetstream, as this is what the active systems use to track along. The trick is forecasting what the jetstream will do. Pretty tough ask to gauge with any great degree of accuracy over 4-6 hours. Forget about forecasts over 24 hours unless High pressure is building. Anything outward of this use the Farmers Almanac or Climatological records.

[spudchucka]

That 7 day rain forecast Metservice page is pretty good. I usually use MetVuw though and have always found them to be very accurate. http://www.swellmap.com is useful too if you are looking at hitting the water.

[BiK3RChiK]

I use this http://metservice.co.nz/default/index.php?alias=mapsandobservations and I also have bookmarked my local hometown for the long-range forecast. As Moki said above though, our local topography affects the weather to a great extent which isn't often accounted for in the forecast, so they often get it wrong. It's a good general indicator though...

[sels1]

This one's pretty good.

<a href="http://www.metservice.com/default/index.php?alias=rainfcst_7daytas">Met Service 7 day rain forecast</a>

I tend to use the 3 day one as obviously the longer the timespan the more variables there are. Found it pretty good.

Of course if you want the best possible forecast tailored to your area you have to do what the airlines do.....buy it

[CookMySock]

II'm generally trying to get a feel for the weather 3-4 days out so I can fit a couple of day escape into normal work/family stuff.Generally if a front has just cleared and if the situation maps show nothing horrific following it, then you should be ok to head off. A mistake is to let a couple of days of fine weather go past after a wet spell.

Great to hear from those with a met qualification.


DB

[Grub]

I noticed that nobody has listed the Met Service Rural Forecasts (http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/index.php?alias=ruralsection), these are what we plan all of our trips on and have never found them wanting.
- It's free
- It gives a 10 day outlook - perfect for planning trips
- If you check back each day you'll see how the accuracy grows
- It's ideal for riding as typically you will traverse two or more of these areas in one ride

Even though as pilots we sit met exams, I prefer not to play meteoroligist. I don't try to analyse satellite images or rain maps ... that's what they do. They computer model them and then put the result in plain language for mortals like us to understand.

Here's an example. Zukins funeral is on Monday and we are going to ride to the bay on Sunday and come home Tuesday. Rural site says ...
Sun 6 Brief early showers, snow likely on high level roads, with a change to cold southwesterlies.

Mon 7 Mainly fine with cold southwesterlies, but late southerlies and showers.

Tue 8 Fine. Dry. Westerlies.

Wed 9 Fine. Dry with southwesterlies.

Now that will be pretty reliable but that weather might shift a day earlier/later. The weather will be as predicted just the exact timing might vary.