Storm Chasers

[willidru]

I spend much of my winter chasing storms so I can hammer ducks. While it can get exhausting trying to predict the weather and timing of storms, it can make all of the difference in a hunt. Since so much of hunting is weather dependent, sometimes it helps, sometimes it hurts the hunt. I wanted to see what everyone has found to be the most accurate method of judging weather.

I use a combo of NOAA, Intelecast and accuweather they each seem to have different components I like.

 

[Shooter19802003]

At work I sit in front of the computer and stare at the weather for hours on end. We use noaa, accu weather and Wu alot. We also have tools that aren't available to the public. So I can bring up individual stations in my state. I think trying to predict the weather, atleast where I am, is such a crapshoot......it's not even funny. I usually just look out the window honestly.

 

[elkyinzer]

As an obsessed Great Lakes walleye fisherman, I too spend a ton of time analyzing the weather. A lot of times we are making decisions 12-48 hours out from a trip whether we will drive the 2-6 hours, or call it off and wait for a weekend of better weather.

I'm with you - each site has different components they do better than other.

A week or so out, I start tracking forecasts, particularly the NOAA "forecast discussion". It's a little tricky to interpret if you don't have some basic terminology down, but once you become accustomed to it, there is so much more useful detail. What you'll quickly notice about that is that they often discuss the uncertainty of the models they use.

I also like the wunderground forecast maps. A lot of good detail to those. I like to look at frontal boundary maps on intellicast and NOAA. Every walleye fisherman should be able to understand a frontal boundary map. Cold fronts are real bite killer to walleyes. Conversely they make for great deer hunting.

We use a combination of iwindsurf and NOAA for wind speed/wave heights. iwindsurf always seems to be pretty good 24 hours out. I don't put any faith in wind/wave forecasts beyond 24 hours. When it gets near go time, I like Accuweather and NOAA's radar. NOAA radar app on my phone is reliable and has saved my bacon from approaching storms a few times out on the Great Lakes.

Or you could go with the method my wife and a bunch of my friends use: "My iphone has a cloudy icon, why is it raining out". Shake my head at that one, every time. Even among my friends that fish and hunt it shocks me how many can't interpret a weather radar.

 

[fngTony]

I use the "storm" app. It's one of the few that allow you to pinpoint your area instead of guessing by the nearest town.

I look over historical data. Learn about what certain clouds mean. Be aware of barometric pressure change.

Wish I knew where the animals get there forecast from. They always have a sense of a big change.

 

[molliesmaster]

I just watch the fronts for ducks. But I'm in the S.E. so we spend most of our season waiting on them to get here only to have the season go out and the ducks arrive the next weekend. Story of my life.

 

[KurtR]

As an obsessed Great Lakes walleye fisherman, I too spend a ton of time analyzing the weather. A lot of times we are making decisions 12-48 hours out from a trip whether we will drive the 2-6 hours, or call it off and wait for a weekend of better weather.

I'm with you - each site has different components they do better than other.

A week or so out, I start tracking forecasts, particularly the NOAA "forecast discussion". It's a little tricky to interpret if you don't have some basic terminology down, but once you become accustomed to it, there is so much more useful detail. What you'll quickly notice about that is that they often discuss the uncertainty of the models they use.

I also like the wunderground forecast maps. A lot of good detail to those. I like to look at frontal boundary maps on intellicast and NOAA. Every walleye fisherman should be able to understand a frontal boundary map. Cold fronts are real bite killer to walleyes. Conversely they make for great deer hunting.

We use a combination of iwindsurf and NOAA for wind speed/wave heights. iwindsurf always seems to be pretty good 24 hours out. I don't put any faith in wind/wave forecasts beyond 24 hours. When it gets near go time, I like Accuweather and NOAA's radar. NOAA radar app on my phone is reliable and has saved my bacon from approaching storms a few times out on the Great Lakes.

Or you could go with the method my wife and a bunch of my friends use: "My iphone has a cloudy icon, why is it raining out". Shake my head at that one, every time. Even among my friends that fish and hunt it shocks me how many can't interpret a weather radar.

we didnt pay attention and got caught on erie it was the wildest boat ride i have been on. Now i am always checking when out fishing seems out here on Oahe the thunderstorms can pop out of no where and while not the waves erie has it can make a guy pucker.

 

[oldgoat]

NWS point forecast

 

[mtnwrunner]

We use a combo of intelliicast and noaa at work. Both are fairly accurate and we rely on their reports extensively. About the only variable is amount of moisture in a storm.

Randy

 

[backcountry_hunter]

delete double post

 

[backcountry_hunter]

NWS point forecast

^^^^This....

If you watch it close enough you can see trends and nuances in the forecasters/forecasts themselves. For example I can tell you as sure as I sit here that in my area we trend 5-10% less Rh than our forecasts shows on any given day (calibrating it). We sit almost on the line between two NWS offices and often get left to dry (pun intended). If I don't like or believe what my NWS is forecasting I'll bounce the next county over and often I'll see a big difference.