Severe Weather Awareness!
- Trail Guide Joe
- Jul 9
- 3 min read
If there's one thing on this planet you cannot escape from, it's the weather. It's always there, good or bad, though you probably wouldn't think about it unless it were bad. And that's a problem. Whether you are hiking, camping, overlanding, or really even just sitting at home in your backyard, you need to be weather aware!
Know Before You Go Outdoors
Check The Local Weather Whether you prefer to watch your local news forecast on The Weather Channel, go online and check your forecast on weather.gov, or prefer to check your favorite weather app, whatever you do, check the forecast! How else will you know it's going to be hot and humid so you pack extra water? How will you know it's going to be wet and rainy so you bring your waterproof hiking boots? If you choose to go out into the outdoors, far from shelter from the elements, you could be setting yourself up for trouble.
Prepare For The Weather Bringing a raincoat in case it rains is one thing. Being ready to head for high ground in case of a flash flood is a whole different level of preparedness. An inch of rain in the Mid West, USA will have a very different result than an inch of rain in the desert Southwest, USA. Knowing the forecast and what it means to the area you are exploring is what will keep you prepared and ready for anything!
While You're Out and About
Phone Alerts
Wireless Emergency Alerts are available and enabled on most modern cell phones. While you can turn off these alerts, I wouldn't recommend it especially if you haven't caught up on the weather before heading out.
Weather Apps are another good source for weather alerts. The FEMA app is a good one I have used in the past. It will allow you to select the alerts you want to hear but will only alert for the locations you setup in the app. This is bothersome if you are on the go and forget to keep your location updated. I currently use a weather app from my local news station that provides the alerts I want to see for any area I am currently in should an alert be issued for that area.
Weather Radio cannot be beat. It's not going to be as nice as a weather app that knows your location but unlike a cell phone, it will almost always have a signal meaning you won't be without a way to check the weather should your phone die or be without signal. Get yourself a good handheld weather radio and keep the batteries fresh!
Weather Emergencies
So you planned a trip and the weather was looking good. Now that the trip is upon you, the weather has started to look a little ugly. It does happen and I get not wanting to cancel a trip you had planned and looked forward to. Nothing wrong with that because you are prepared! You have your phone so if you have a phone signal, you can receive localized alerts. You have your weather radio so you can get area wide updates and alerts regarding the weather. Heck, you even printed out the 10-day forecast for the area from your favorite weather site! You are well aware of what's coming and how to stay informed when the weather changes. One additional thing you might not have thought of is how to contact local authorities in the event of an emergency. As I do a lot of camping in Missouri State Parks, I can always count on the shower house having emergency contact information posted! If that information is not readily available in the area you'll be located, make sure you put researching this info on your planning list as it can be super helpful if you become trapped by a flash flood or need help getting out of a tornado ravaged area. Helping rescuers know you're out there and where to find you is the best thing you can do for yourself so long as you know how to get into contact with them.
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