Survival Skills: Keep A Weather Eye

You may have a lot of faith in your local news weather team, or you may not. Once you’re out in the backcountry, it’s up to you to make intelligent predictions about the incoming weather. The official prediction may suggest a magical stretch of weather – not too hot or too cold, just right with low humidity and clear skies. However, an experienced outdoor enthusiast will know better. Mountains can make their own weather systems, and these can take an unexpected turn at the drop of a hat. Fog can ruin your visibility and hide trail markers – getting you hopelessly lost. Rain and wind can soak your “sunny day” wardrobe and steer you toward hypothermia with alarming speed. I’m not suggesting you ignore your local weather forecast completely, I’m just suggesting that you add your own observations to the mix.

Watch the weather by scanning the horizon often and paying attention to wind and cloud patterns. This can give you early warning if there’s a change in the weather or an unexpected storm is approaching. If a thunderstorm is coming, for example, get down from high land forms like ridges and peaks. But don’t trade lightning avoidance for flood waters. You shouldn’t be in narrow gorges, steep valley bottoms and slot canyons when they could flood.

Keep your own watch on the local weather, because the local conditions could be very different than the predicted weather for the region.

Written by Tim MacWelch First draft published on outdoorlife.com