How to Predict Weather

The weather in mountains is very unpredictable. A bright sunny day can suddenly become rainy. Hail, thunderstorm, storm may begin. It is very important to know how to predict the weather in the mountains. You need to know what sources to use to get accurate information about the weather forecast when you are still in the city and to identify the signs on the spot in real time, and understand what they mean.

The surface of the earth heats unevenly, as more sunlight falls on the equatorial line than on the poles. Subsequent high and low atmospheric pressure belts are formed. The warm air mass has a low-pressure belt and rises upward, which usually causes bad weather. The cold air mass has a high-pressure belt, which goes down and causes bright and stable weather.

Cyclone and Anticyclone 

The cyclone is an air mass with a low-pressure belt, where a warm high-pressure air mass penetrates. As a result, we get a rotating air mass, in the center of which there is a low-pressure belt, and around it is a high-pressure belt. During cyclones, the weather is gloomy, with frequent precipitation and strong winds.

An anticyclone is the opposite of a cyclone. It’s an area, in the center of which there is a high-pressure belt, which rotates and pushes the air masses out from the center. During the anticyclone, the weather is clear and sunny, cloudless, there are no strong winds and precipitation. In summer, the weather is hot and sunny, and the winter is very cold. Anticyclones move slowly, so they bring stable weather with them.

Anticyclone is a favorable time for mountain climbing.

How to Predict Weather in Mountains

Let’s not go too deep into science. We will present to you the signs that you should be aware of.

In the morning air masses rise from the foot of the mountain to the top, and in the evening they usually go down. This happens due to the temperature difference between the surface of the foot and the top of the mountain. Because of this phenomenon, the morning in the mountains is sunny, during the day it can rain on the slopes of the mountain and snow at the top.

You can learn a lot about the upcoming weather by looking at the clouds. Mostly clouds can be:

In addition to the main types of clouds, you must also pay attention to the following two phenomena.

Lenses (lenticular) are a type of altocumulus clouds. They are formed under the condition of strong winds and the presence of some kind of barrier. Mountain peaks usually play the role of the barrier. Typically, such clouds form during the influx of warm air masses. The formation of such clouds indicates a worsening of the weather.

Halo is another sign of worsening weather. A halo is an optical phenomenon that forms around a strong light source. Sources of such light may be the sun or the moon. However, a halo can also form around other strong light sources. The halo is caused by the refraction of light by small ice crystals located inside cirrus clouds.

Signs of Thunderstorm

Thunderstorms are one of the greatest dangers in the mountains. The occurrence of thunderstorms is directly related to the sun. That is why thunderstorms most often occur in the summer, during the daytime. A prerequisite for a thunderstorm is warm air streams directed upwards. Their rapid movement generates electrostatic voltage and, as a result, lightning.

Local thunderstorms can develop very quickly. You need to watch closely to see how quickly cumulus clouds form. The faster the clouds form, especially in the vertical plane, the higher the likelihood of cumulus clouds and rainfall. A cloud in a form of a tower pointing upwards is a bad sign. Especially if the bottom of the cloud is dark. It is even more dangerous if there are several clouds like that. In this case, long and severe thunderstorm can begin.

The thunderstorm can also be predicted by the following signs:

• Morning dew does not dry out for a long time
• Clouds that are formed early in the morning
• The lower parts of cumulus clouds are dark
• No wind, stuffy
• The lower part of the clouds is convex, which indicates the presence of upward streams
• Wind gust, with the condition that dark clouds are visible from distance
• Clouds resembling an anvil or tower. The upper part is wider and has a flat top.

How to Protect from Thunder and Lightning

• Leave the open space. If you are on top of a mountain, you must immediately go down as low as possible and leave the ridge of the mountain.
• Turn off telephones, walkie-talkies, and other electrical equipment.
• Try to find shelter. A thunderstorm rarely lasts more than an hour, but it is enough to get wet and then have frostbite. Find recesses in the rocks, camp in a dry place, or under some cover. You need to hide in a tent or under a rock, at a distance of at least 1 meter from the walls.

You need to forecast not only bad weather. In order not to miss the opportunity to make an ascent, you also need to know about the upcoming favorable weather for hiking.

Signs of good weather are:

• Cold night
• Fog dissipates one or two hours after sunrise
• At sunset, the sun looks like a ball of fire, with clearly visible round edges

Sources for accurate weather forecasts

First of all, it is impossible to accurately predict the weather in the mountains. However, modern technology allows us to accurately predict what the weather will be like in the mountains in the next two to three days. To do this, there are several relevant sites that show detailed information about air temperature, precipitation and winds. Some sites provide satellite images that show the movement of air masses.

Here are some weather forecasting sites:

Mountain forecast – This site is specialized in mountain weather forecasts. Here you can find the weather forecast for almost any mountain, with all the detailed information and diagrams.

Meteoblue – Here you will find detailed information about all the data, including satellite images. There is a search option, both by the names of settlements and by the names of mountain peaks, showing the weather forecast in the mountains. The site quite accurately predicts the weather in Europe, America, but there is not much information about Armenia. But in any case, here you can get accurate weather information. The site has a mobile application, which is very convenient.

Wind guru – This site specializes in the wind. It is most often used by sailors to get an idea of the sea winds. The site shows details about the movement of air masses and winds. It works especially well for coastal areas.

Remember that you should not underestimate the weather. It should be the number one parameter when planning a trip, since the weather is beyond our control, and it cannot be adapted to our needs.

The copyright of this article is owned by armgeo.am. The content of the article may be cited or used on other websites only with an active link to the source.

Hiking Equipment