Weather station for TCs?

67: I've never used the Accu-rite product, but it looks interesting.

Skip: sampling sea surface temperatures (over larger areas) can be done with SST 5 kilometer grid satellite data; barring any data connection (out beyond any data communications), data-logging all the water you plow through combining with other instrument-gathered climate data to make informed TS development decisions is essential, for sure!

On land, we have extremely dense Doppler coverage, and excellent mesoscale real-time discussions pretty well everywhere coast-to-coast. Barring a total failure of all (or, most) of your recording instruments, it is highly recommended that you understand basic weather prediction by reading the cloud situation, for sure. There are several great websites (and portable guides one should carry) to learn this technique...

Skip, I picked up an inexpensive AcuRite Weather sensor that has wind speed and direction, temps, barometric pressure, etc. I am able to mount it on the camper or in the yard. It may take me a while to be somewhat accurate with our forecasts, but as you point out its educational and enjoyable.

67avion and Silversands,

Phooy! We had hoped to get ya'll (thats southern) to attend the Gettysburg event. But hopefully another time, another place will occur.

As to the weather station, after 23 years aboard a sailing yacht, dealing with Hurricanes from time to time. We learned two things that were constant:

1. Hurricanes can do anything including reversing course and going south.
2. Hurricanes never listen to the radio or watch TV. Adhereing to weather data as gospel, can get you killed.

We have saved our kesters several times by self forecasting from our local instruments, besides it is fun and educational. During the International Geophysical Year, in, I think 1986, it was discovered that the surface water temps had to be at or above 80 degrees for a hurricane strength depression to develop and grow. When the surface temps go down the storm does also. We found could monitor ocean surface temps to aid our forecasts.

Another aid was, cloud formation analysis, one very simple cloud deal is, "Mares Tails". High wispy clouds that look like horse tails and have a sharp bend, indicating a large wind shift aloft, which precedes a frontal systems arrival in the near future. Often with deteriorating conditions. It is better to be prepared and have a storm fizzle, than to be unready for a humdinger. It's like," I'd rather have it and not need it, than not have it, etc.........."

Skip wrote:
We're looking toward the get-together at Gettysburg in September

:B

We've only got ~2.5 days in the schedule, unfortunately. I did get Mikeeee's invite/info recently. It would have been fun to do Gettysburg (and, the Gettysburg NMP)!

"6"
When I first look at Silver's stuff, it looks unknowable. But then it makes perfect sense, although it may not be in a form that I'm able to convert and grok. He's our Dr. Spock, with a sense of humor.

Dear S.S., we'd love to be poking around in Maine. Close to Eastport we were steered to the "Reversing Falls" by the Post Office
folks. It is a tidal anomly rooted in the vast tidal action of the Bay of Fundy. It may be viewed from a little County Park, we boondocked there for 2 days, undisturbed. We were warned not to let Marley, our Labradoddle, go into the water while the seals are about, as the seals may attack the dog. It was a memorable stop.

We're looking toward the get-together at Gettysburg in September, we were there last year, it was a 10. This is the 150th anniversary of the Battle with many events commemorating the highwatermark of the Civil War. Mikee and his band of merrymakers do a loverly job

Hi 67 (and Skip):

My GPS coverage of cell coverages (and, FTA TV broadcast areas) I update regularly from FCC "geographical data" portal. The coverage is in shapefile format (I convert the pertinent geodata to GPX format, Garmin ingestible).

We've had an excellent anemometer for years now (that data-logs; see our Outer Banks/OBX trip report for photo of me with this device in action).

A lightning detector is pretty well the only way to determine if/where/when a potential Southwest storm could/may strike (try using a NOAA emergency receiver or cell phone in a slot canyon). There are some very good units able to indicate how far out, and how quickly a storm is approaching (the storm's ETA to your location)...costs are in the range of $79 to over $400. But a good unit can be had for $180 (Strike Alert HD is my favorite).

We try and keep it simple: just the tools for the region.

My LiDAR coverages come from State and/or Federal sources (you need special software {some is open-source; some is commercial} to resolve the data to usable format). If you need any further technical info, go ahead and PM me :)

Hi Skip! We'll be somewhere in Maine (coastal) in 2 weeks :B

Skip, I managed to read a number of your stories in Truck Camper Magazine. They are loaded with good tips and info, as well as your gentle touch. I appreciate your weighing in, especially tongue in cheek :)

Hi again"6",

Hi tech and Silver, fit together like a tongue and cheek. With a laptop and google everything can be at the fingertip. We have a device called a Mobile Broad Band thingie, most smart phones can also do it, connect to the internet any where there is cell phone coverage.

It is a progression from smoke signals through the coffee can and string to the present to help keep us informed and safe. Those who pay attention get to go on; them that don't, often are stalled or stopped. Any info that can help us see the developing conditions is worth having, I have learn't!

I sure have learned alot here in...................

Holy Smokes Silver! That's a lot to digest. Fascinating though, and as usual with your posts its thought provoking. First of all, I'm thankful for your sage advice. Its what makes this Forum so unique and useful. Secondly, where in the world do you get all of those devices and tools? "GPS coverage map", "Lightning detector", and knowledge of "concrete bunkers"?.

67:

We had at one time traveled with a sophisticated weather station, however today, we have to a great extent replaced it with our Android cell phones & simple barometric pressure device & hand-held anemometer (we have several tools installed on our Androids that give us direct connection to Doppler radar, and mesoscale visualization, and weather satellite product).

We research & know the following to determine what kind of device would be pin-point effective for us to avoid injury or death due to anomalous climate events:

-what genre of life-threatening weather, and the geophysical landscape that could channel such weather to our locale.

A simplistic example of weather genre is: Kansas = tornado; East Coast shoreline = storm surge/hurricane; Southwest = flash flood; Southwest = killer wildfires; Pacific coastline = killer tsunamis. There are hundreds of variations in climatological genre (climate overlap) that are possible.

A simplistic example of geophysical landscape that could channel an anomalous climate event to your camper's doorstep are: setting up in a dry wash (knowingly or unknowingly); camping 1, 2, 3 meters above the mean high tide line along the Atlantic/Pacific; camping between two dry arroyos boxing you in; camping on ocean shoreline with only 1 or 2 escape routes; camping in a dry area conducive to wildfire with abundant fuel barriers to escape route(s); etc. Again, there are MANY variants to these geophysical scenarios, and several tools that could save our lives (eg. having an hand-held anemometer in fire country).

If we were putting ourselves in the Southwest, I would carry either/or a lightening detector (good for 20+ miles) and Doppler Android cell application on 2 phones (and, a GPS coverage map of cell tower effective range). And, I would have a LiDAR terrain model (and watershed coverage) to select a secure campsite.

If we were putting ourselves on the East Coast during hurricane season, we would carry a NOAA weather alert receiver (battery operated), a cell with backup with various satellite link Android apps, and a barometric pressure sensitive device. And, I would have a LiDAR coastal terrain model (and watershed coverage & storm surge GIS software with coastal zone loaded & emergency services escape routes loaded into my GPS & cell phones) to determine where/where not to camp, and how to escape.

If we were putting ourselves in Kansas/Midwest during spring/summer, we would carry a cell and backup, with mesoscale meteorological Doppler application, and NOAA weather receiver. And, an escape route from every night stop going in every direction, and a concrete bunker at every night stop to take shelter in if need be.

....etc, etc.

On edit: feel free to cherry-pick :B

Good luck,
S-