What is camping weather? That depends on who you are and what kind of camping you want to do. For most people camping weather is a nice, sunny but not too hot summer day, A few hardy souls go camping in the winter and brave the snow and cold on purpose, but most people prefer milder weather for their outings. Most folks think of camping as a summer activity, perhaps spilling over into warm days of spring and fall. Daytime temperatures in the 70s and low 80s Fahrenheit are quite pleasant. If it gets warmer or colder than that, human beings begin to get pretty uncomfortable. Lower temperatures are sometimes acceptable if you're going to be involved in strenuous physical activity that will keep you warm. Temperatures in the 60s are often ideal for OHV or horseback riding or even strenuous hiking if you're dressed for it. Higher temperatures are enjoyed by people involved in water sports where they can frequently cool down in the water. But sitting around camp when its over 100°F or below 60°F isn't anyone's idea of fun. A good rain storm can be fun -- if you're prepared and can stay dry while you watch it from a comfortable place (in your tent or RV or under some kind of awning or canopy or other protected spot). Most of us wouldn't choose rain as ideal camping weather. But sometimes it does catch up with us even when we try to avoid it. Some folks go out in winter, setting up a base camp for other activities, such as skiing, ice skating, ice fishing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, or snowshoeing. But most of us don't think of snow and freezing temperatures as ideal camping weather. And you need an RV that is specially equipped to handle freezing temperatures if you're going to be camping in winter. That means heated plumbing and holding tanks as well as a well insulated coach and a large enough furnace (or auxiliary heat) to keep you warm. Staying warm when tent camping in winter mostly means dressing right and having a warm enough sleeping bag. Tent heaters may help, but exercise caution to prevent them from damaging and/or igniting your tent and maintain sufficient ventilation to prevent suffocation. Because tents don't have a lot of insulation, it is difficult to keep them warm. Tent heaters will consume large amounts of fuel and a significant amount of heat will simply be lost through the tent fabric. That being said, I was quite surprised how much colder it was outside my tent when I crawled out bed one morning on a scout outing with one of my boys. It was very noticeably warming in the tent. and that was with little or no breeze.
How do you keep track of the weather while camping? Well, first of all, keep an eye on the sky. The shape, color, and movement of clouds can give you a pretty good idea of what is coming. These days we also have great electronic resources such NOAA weather radios and weather apps on our cell phones.
Modern weather forecasting takes advantage of many tools not available to our ancestors. Radar, satellite images, and computer prediction models help create ever more accurate forecasts. I've heard that there are already computer models than can predict the weather with 100% accuracy, but it takes about 48 hours to run a 24 hour forecast so until efficiency improves they are of little use. I have been pleasantly surprised by how accurate the 7-day forecast is usually is on weatherbug.com. By the way, the further out the forecast, the less accurate it will be. The U.S. Weather Service used to publish a 30 day forecast, but dropped it because the accuracy wasn't as good as they had hoped. It would be a good idea to check the 7-day or 10-day forecast for your route and destination before you take off on each trip. That way you can plan better for clothing, appropriate meals and refreshments, and activities. If its going to be cooler or stormier than you planned you might want to switch your menu from hamburgers and hot dogs cooked on the campfire to some nice home-made chili heated up inside your cozy RV!
No matter what the forecast when you leave home, it is probably going to change before you get back unless you're going to be gone only a very short time. With that in mind it is a good idea to keep an eye on the weather while your away. Local radio stations and NOAA weather radio broadcasts can provide useful information but knowing how to interpret signs in the immediate area may be a more direct and more accurate measure of what to expect. Many locations, especially mountains and large bodies of water, have their own micro environments that can create their own weather that probably won't show up on the weather service forecast. Local sources, such as rangers and residents may have some insight into local weather you won't get from the radio or TV forecast. Clouds and their behavior are one of the best predictors of weather. High, thin, cirrus clouds almost always mean good weather. Low, dark, roiling clouds often mean rain or storms. Uniform gray clouds might deliver showers but most often don't. Find out from which direction your weather normally comes and monitor the skies in that direction. Barometers display changes in air pressure. High pressure usually accompanies fair weather, low pressure is identified with stormy weather. If the barometer is rising, it is normally a predictor of good weather where as dropping barometric pressures may mean an approaching storm. Strong winds and other violent weather often occur along a "front" where two masses of air of different pressure and temperatures collide.
Old weather sayings, often accredited to sailors, shepherds, or farmers, often have some basis in meteorlogical fact. One of the most popular is the old rhyme:
"Red at night, sailor's delight
Red at morning, sailor take warning."
This apparently originated in England where most of the weather comes from the west. "Red at night" is often caused by dust particles in the air, indicating dry air and probably high pressure is approaching from the west and, therefore, good weather on the way. "Red at morning" on the other hand means the dry air has already passed and wetter, cooler weather may be on the way,. A morning sky that is a deep, fiery red can indicate that there is high
water content in the atmosphere. So, rain could be on its way.
Another with some merit is "No weather is ill if the wind is still." Calm winds, especially with clear skies, are normally associated with areas of high pressure, indicating good weather. However, remember too, "the calm before the storm". Thunderstorms often develop even though surface winds are low. In addition, there is the "eye of the storm" where winds and clouds are clear smack in the middle of a large storm like a hurricane or typhoon. In that case you may just have time to catch your breath before the next round of nasty weather descends on you, often with winds changing direction.
Some people believe their own joints can predict the weather. There may actually be a sliver of truth behind this one. Changes in barometer pressure can affect body fluids, A drop in barometric pressure may trigger pain due to swelling in joints as the internal fluids slowly react to the change in pressure.
My grandmother used to say "Sunshiny showers won't last half an hour." If the sun is shining while it is raining, there is a very good chance the rain clouds will indeed pass by quickly. Of course the timing may be affected by whether the sun is peeking through ahead or behind the storm but either way rain from scattered clouds isn't likely to continue for very long.
Another folk tale is that you can tell the temperature by crickets' chirps. Apparently this actually works. If you have the patience, count the number of chirps in 14 seconds and add 40 to get Fahrenheit temperature. Sorry, don't have the formula for Centigrade wihtout all the normal conversion calculations!
These days you can buy your own weather stations to have in your home or take with you camping. They can measure local conditions and give you an instant forecast. I've tried a couple of them and while I found the measurements of temperature, humidity, and wind speed and direction fairly accurate and useful, I didn't find the forecast particularly accurate. If you install your own weather station, be aware that it may take some time -- perhaps even a few weeks -- for it to calibrate itself to your local conditions so it can give an accurate forecast. That being said, portable weather stations may not have time to acclimate themselves as you travel but is is always good to have instruments to at least measure temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure. You may find knowing wind speed and direction helpful too, if only to know whether or not to light a campfire and on which side to sit if you do.
One of my favorite weather station anecdotes is that of the "Weather String". Tie a string outsdie your window. If you can see it, the sun is out. If it is wet it is raining. If it is moving the wind is blowing. If it is frozen stiff it is cold. If you can't see it it is either dark (night time) or foggy. As silly as that may sound, there is some value in simple weather tools. Many rural airports still rely on the old fashioned wind sock to give pilots an indication of wind speed and direction so the weather string as a wind measuring device just might not be too bad an idea. Those cute little colorful windsocks designed to hang on your awning may actually be of some use in measuring wind direction and velocity. Very often, an RV's monitor panel will include a barometer and thermometer. The thermometer usually only displays inside temperature so you may want to invest in an indoor/outdoor thermometer. RV stores sometimes have clear thermometers that mount on the outside of a window so you an easily read outside temperature from inside your RV. Some even include a humidity gauge. Those placed on dual pane windows will be more accurate than ones stuck on single pane glass, because both temperatures may be more affected by the heat coming through the glass. Knowing the outside temperature will help you plan outdoor activities, dress appropriately, and give you some indication of whether you need to take measures to deal with freezing temperatures. If you buy an electronic indoor/outdoor thermometer you will need to find an appropriate place to mount the outside sensor. You want it where it will not be in direct sunlight or affected by vehicle systems (furnace, fridge, hot water heater, generator, vehicle engine or exhaust). One good place on newer RVs with slide outs is in the channel surrounding the slide out. If that doesn't work for you or you don't have slide outs, look for a spot that is protected from the sun but gets adequate exposure to outside air. Some possibilities might include the side of the RV right under the rolled up awning or anyplace it will not be in direct sunlight, like on the back side of a bumper. Avoid wheel wells because water, snow, and other debris kicked up by the tires will affect the reading and probably damage the sensor or knock it off.
Smart phones often have weather apps or you can get weather apps for them. Of course you must be within range of a cell tower for it to work, but it is sometimes surprising how far coverage reaches out into camping territory.
NOAA weather radios and local radio stations are a good source of current weather forecasts. However, be aware that there are often micro weather environments around mountains or large bodies of water that create their own weather, which may differ drastically from the regional forecast. Locals and frequent visitors are usually a good source of weather lore. As with any radio you have to be within range of the transmitter to receive a signal. NOAA transmitting stations are designed to provide as broad coverage as possible but you might still have trouble in steep canyons or behind large mountains.
In several areas where I've lived, the weather by-word is "If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute". That is certainly more true some places than others, but weather can and often does change frequently just about everywhere. With that in mind, it is a good idea to be prepared when you're camping. Keep rain gear handy and be prepared to wait out occasional bouts of stormy weather with appropriate refreshments and indoor activities. Since things usually cool down when it rains, hot beverages and related snacks are a comfortable treat during stormy weather, something you might easily forget when planning a summer trip. Given the large variety of micro-environments that we can encounter in our travels, expect the unexpected. Campers often like to go to the forests and the mountains. Mountains often make their own local weather which might not conform to regional weather forecasts. In that case, electronic forecasts aren't going to be as much use as being able to recognize what is likely to happen based on local conditions. For that you need experience -- or access to someone with experience.
You may have heard the term "keep a weather eye". In general it means to keep a careful watch on a situation without involving your full attention. Obviously it was derived from actually watching the weather, most likely by sailors. It is excellent advice for campers.
Be weather wise.
