Wind can be one of the more dangerous forces of Mother Nature we encounter out there, especially those of us in vans and reefers. With gusty wind areas around nearly every part of the country, wouldn’t it be nice to have a way to accurately predict wind patterns in your trip planning? I once wrote a blog article titled “Wind”, where I was excited about trying out a new wind forecasting app I had found. Now a staple in my trip planning toolbox and my favorite all-around weather predictor, many more features have been added since I last checked in on this amazing piece of weather tech.
During my fir
st encounter with Windy.com, it was solely a web site (windytv.com) I had to type into my browser to use. Since then, it has been released as an app with regular updates for feature additions and bug fixes. Though relatively bug-free on my iPhone already, the developers have continued to keep it up to date. They’ve added so many new functionality tools that it has become my go-to app for all weather forecasting and tracking of current conditions. There are at least 40 search layer overlays you can toggle on and off including things like wind, rain, thunder/lightning, temperature, precipitation, clouds, visibility, air quality and more! It also provides features like live webcams for certain areas, paragliding spots, and tide forecasts! The developers of this app have worked hard to make it one of the most accurate and comprehensive tools for weather I have encountered in all my weather technology searches.
I will be the first to admit that I have never been a fan of weather I can’t see. I can do snow, sleet, rain and dust because they have visual signs. Wind on the other hand, gives me little to gauge it on except the blowing trees and bushes on the side of the road and occasionally a truck lying over on its side if it gets that bad! Most of those daytime visual queues all but disappear in the dark of night though, making an already dangerous situation much more dangerous.
Having a tool like the windy.com app or website takes a lot of the guesswork out of trip planning through wind-prone areas. It has saved me more than a handful of times, prompting me to take alternate routes on several occasions, with light loads or an empty box behind me. Be sure to add the 7-day forecast capability of the Windy.com app to your mobile device. You’ll be glad that you did!
(All Photos in article from windy.com)