Weather forecasting

linsen

Now, I know what you are all going to say, but hear me out....

I don't cycle to work in the rain.

Because I have NOWHERE undercover to store a wet bike at work. I don't mind cycling home in the rain.

The BBC say it's going to p*ss down tomorrow morning, in which case I shall set my alarm for 7.15 and roll into work in the car, frustrated but dry.

Or if it really won't rain then I shall get up 45 minutes earlier and ride in.

So what I want to know is which weather fairy on the interweb is the most accurate in your opinion?

chrisberry

I have tried BBC.co.uk/weather, uk.weather.com and still find the 24 hour weather map on bbc interactive services on freeview the best

itboffin

I've given up on the metoffice, BBC and weather.com all of them a damn liars and just want to p1ss me off, I still use Wind Map and a book yes a book, this book has average weather conditions collected over 50 years with significant historic events, it's been right everyday since I bought it in October - WTF

In fact I might just send a copy to the metoffice, grrrrr!

Tino4444

Hi,

I dont trust the forecasts as they are rarely accurate in my experience.

Your best bet is to get up early as if you were gonna go on your bike, look out of the window and see what the weather is doing. If its raining then go back to bed.

linsen

hmm I like your thinking!

lost_in_thought

I tend to trust the met office, but my gospel for weather is the TAF and METAR reports. I'm keen to know tomorrow's weather too, and the Heathrow (very near me) one is saying cloud but no rain for tomorrow in that area.

snooks

I've come to the conclusion that you can find a weather forecast on the web to tell you exactly what you want to see for any given hour...

I tend to rely on the the weather a lot for my job, and the two weather sites I rely on are http://www.windfinder.com/forecasts/wind_british_isles33.htm for forecasting the wind strength and direction and http://uk.weather.com/ for cloud cover and rain

9 times out of 10 they are right and http://uk.weather.com/ hour by hour report for that day and the next is pretty much spot on, although not 100% reliable, but that's the weather for you.

On windfinder if you click on the red dots on the map you get a more detailed view for more days to come...but don't trust its precipitation prediction

Jen J

snooks wrote:

I've come to the conclusion that you can find a weather forecast on the web to tell you exactly what you want to see for any given hour...

+1

I was doing a couple of back to back races last May with some friends, and we all werefrantically checking the weather forecasts. Metcheck had the forecast as 3 degrees and windy, BBC had it as 15 degrees and no wind (or vice versa). Slight differenece there. In the end I think it was about 12 and windy...

squired

Best job in the world. You can apparently be wrong 365 years a day and still be employed at the end of it!!! Tell me any other job where you can get away with that.

Jen J

squired wrote:

Best job in the world. You can apparently be wrong 365 years a day and still be employed at the end of it!!! Tell me any other job where you can get away with that.

Prime Minister?

DonDaddyD

I have no cover for my bike, when it rains my bike gets wet...

I don't like it, but I have no choice and I prefer to cycle over any other method of commuting.

I tend to judge the weather forcast by looking out the window in the morning. I judge the tempreture by placing my hand on said window....

I'm being serious....

lost_in_thought

lost_in_thought wrote:

I tend to trust the met office, but my gospel for weather is the TAF and METAR reports. I'm keen to know tomorrow's weather too, and the Heathrow (very near me) one is saying cloud but no rain for tomorrow in that area.

Well I ignored my own good advice, and didn't cycle this morning. The TAF was spot on. Like, absolutely perfect. Exactly right.

As they so often are.

I think when you're doing the weather for flying it matters more...

DAMN.

attica

I only ever look at forecasts for the next 24 hours, usually the Met Office one.
Anything further ahead than a day is as unreliable as you like.

The rainfall radar on the Met Office website is really good at giving you an idea of whether there's rain on the way for the next hour or two, that might be what you're after, it plays in a groovy animation too.


http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/radar/

linsen

Thanks all.
Imagine my disappointment last night at 11pm when I realised all my cycling kit (one pair of winter tights) was in the wash
So a drive in this morning and a trip on the way home to the LBS for me.....
:roll:

Jen J

Anyone know what the weather will be like in Egypt next week?

I'm guessing dry, warm, sunny?

Will think of you all, shivering away over here :P

simon_ramsey

Linsen - I'm afraid in the wash just doesn't wash with me - it's up there with my dog ate my bike. My bib tights dry very quickly as they are designed to ehem MTFU.

I take my 2 dogs out at some un-godly hour and generally find the weather is never as bad as it looks. After I have got home and had some breakfast I sort of know what to expect when I leave the house to cycle.

We will require a note from your mum if you are to be absent from SCR again next week.

DonDaddyD

simon_ramsey wrote:

Linsen - I'm afraid in the wash just doesn't wash with me - it's up there with my dog ate my bike. My bib tights dry very quickly as they are designed to ehem MTFU.

I take my 2 dogs out at some un-godly hour and generally find the weather is never as bad as it looks. After I have got home and had some breakfast I sort of know what to expect when I leave the house to cycle.

We will require a note from your mum if you are to be absent from SCR again next week.

+1

(Ok firstly I bought 2 cycle tops last Friday, one to wear to work and one to wear to the SCR X-mas party, before people start thinking me unhygienic).

I'm in charge of the clothes washing in my house hold ( :shock: Yes I know... ) I'd be surprised if they were still wet, after a wash clothes (especially darks) tend to get hung to dry immediately so they don't smell of 'stagnate water'. Also bold 2 in 1 is awesome I insisted on abig 4.75kg box of it during yesterdays shop... it smells of cherry blossom.

Unless the cycle jersey is absolutely stinking (which is hard to do from one days worth of cycling) it can always be worn twice, as well as padded cycle shorts/tights. - They have an antibacterial pad for a reason.... (cannot believe I wrote that).

If you are that worried about the pad just wear underwear the second time round you wear the cycle shorts/tights. Its not like your sitting in them at work or hanging around people long enough for anyone to notice. - It's why couriers smell....

Can you tell that I don't want to do any work today!!!

tailwindhome

DonDaddyD wrote:

Also bold 2 in 1 is awesome I insisted on abig 4.75kg box of it during yesterdays shop... it smells of cherry blossom.

:shock:

simon_ramsey

I think DDD needs to lay off the household products for a bit :twisted:

itboffin

What the hell... :shock:

Someone call a doctor there seems to be a MASSIVE dose of GAYYYYYY on the loose

linsen

Well I went to the LBS to buy a second pair of tights so that should never happen again

Guess what, they don't have any.

Not much demand for girls' cycling kit, they said.
They are however now fully aware I have "landed" on the cycling scene in Winchester and so I told them I expect better, or I'm off to Wiggle.
That cut deep!

And I know, I know, SimonRamsay, I should have cycled.

Bad girl.
(Have been out for a quick spin since, though - forgiven?)

itboffin

linsen wrote:

Well I went to the LBS to buy a second pair of tights so that should never happen again

Guess what, they don't have any.

Not much demand for girls' cycling kit, they said.
They are however now fully aware I have "landed" on the cycling scene in Winchester and so I told them I expect better, or I'm off to Wiggle.
That cut deep!

And I know, I know, SimonRamsay, I should have cycled.

Bad girl.
(Have been out for a quick spin since, though - forgiven?)

Have you tried normal tights, I believe G66 has some good underwear tips.

simon_ramsey

I've just popped down the petrol station in the Tin Box and the car says that it is -2 outside already (in Berkshire) and I'm gonna have to ride in the morning whatever after the hard time I gave Linsen (forgiven by the way).

lost_in_thought

linsen wrote:

Well I went to the LBS to buy a second pair of tights so that should never happen again

Guess what, they don't have any.

Not much demand for girls' cycling kit, they said.
They are however now fully aware I have "landed" on the cycling scene in Winchester and so I told them I expect better, or I'm off to Wiggle.
That cut deep!

And I know, I know, SimonRamsay, I should have cycled.

Bad girl.
(Have been out for a quick spin since, though - forgiven?)

I know, so annoying. That minx girl site only has kit for hipster girls who don't mind spending £70 on a jersey. The sales can be good though.

Not enough girls cycling gear out there.

Gap in the market anyone? Anyone?

Please?

jonginge

simon_ramsey wrote:

I think DDD needs to lay off the household products for a bit :twisted:

Especially as the general rule is to not use fabric conditioner on technical clothing (or use harsh detergents for that matter)

linsen

This has gone off-topic enough now that I can safely say I use soap nuts for washing most clothes - ecofriendly, dead cheap and work a treat. No detergent needed...
As for the tights - I'm waiting to see what Father Christmas delivers (probably in vain, as I think he shops in the same LBSs that I do....)

DonDaddyD

What, in the name of all that is holy, is a soap nut? How, in this life or the next, is a soap nut eco-friendly?

My trouble with tights is that I overheat quickly in them. Currently I wear Addidas climacool trackpants (or track suit bottoms). They provide warmth/protection from wind while allowing my skin to breath. I wear a combination of those and padded cycle shorts.

Part of me really regrets derailing the thread as yesterday I found myself looking for a weather report to find out if it today would be safe enough to ride....

dav1

I tend to use the met office webby, as they supply everyone elkse anyway their site should be about as up-to-date as it gets.

over 24hrs isnt unreliable, you just have to know how to read the report correctly.

12 hrs is usally very accurate, the 24 is also usually good.

days 2-3 are usually more vague but report on a highly liky events.

Days 3-5 tend to be vague and changeable, but give a general idea of what is likly to occur. The reports are over a much wider area though meaning things like showers may not hit you specifficaly, but they may occur in places close-by.

the 6-15 day reports are most changeable, more general and cover the general weather over a whole reigon rather then counties/towns or cities.