Whenever you’re going to be spending any length of time outdoors, especially away from available shelter, don’t forget to check the weather.
I remember being on vacation at the Grand Canyon with my wife and as we stopped at the different observation points along the South Rim, we ended up with a very unique view of the weather. At the southern most observation area we could see directly down the length of the canyon and watch as a thunder storm worked its way towards us from inside the canyon. As we drove through the storm we realized how lucky we were that we happen to still be driving to our hotel that day. Every non-traveling day of our vacation we would be out hiking, and since we were on vacation, our idea of checking the weather was looking out the window. Had we driven the day before, there is a good chance we would have been on the Bright Angel Trail heading down into the canyon, and caught in the storm.
Granted, being drenched by an unexpected thunder storm is hardly a disaster survival experience, but it does underscore the necessity of knowing what weather conditions you’re going into, and should be prepared for. Since many natural dissters are weather related (hurricanes, tornados, blizzards, extreme heat and flash floods), if your travelling, vacationing or even live in an area that is prone to such severe weather, it is definitely in your best interest to be aware of not only the current weather conditions, but also of any approaching systems.
Where’s the best place to check the weather, the National Weather Service of course. Part of the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the NWS not only provides regional and local forecasts, but also state and county warnings and severe weather updates.
So do yourself a favor and check the weather of whatever region you’re in.
Eastern Region – ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RI, NY, NJ, PA, MD (& DC), OH, VA, WV, NC, SC
Southern Region – TN, AR, OK, GA, FL, AL, MI, LA, TX
Central Region – MI, WI, MN, ND, SD, WY, NE, IA, IL, IN, KY, MO, KN, CO
Western Region – MT, ID, WA, OR, CA, NV, WY, UT, CO, AZ, NM
Pacific Region – HI, Guam, Am Samoa, and other Pacific Islands
Alaska – Kind of obvious
After all, better safe than sorry.
