Weather forecasts can be a crucial factor in deciding where or even whether to walk (70mph winds and blizzards – maybe stay home) and the Met Office app is one of the best there is, especially for hill walkers. It gives hourly local weather forecasts each day and three hourly ones for the following ones for the next five days. Locations with these forecasts include mountain summits.
Chris Townsend’s verdict
Of course the forecast isn’t always correct, especially from hour to hour, but I’ve found it generally accurate. You need a phone signal too so it’s wise to check the forecast before heading out.- Daily and Hourly forecasts
- Mountain area forecasts
- Individual sumit forecasts
- Online only
| Quick specs | |
|---|---|
| Recommended for UK weather forecasts. Costs: Free Platforms: iOs, Android, website Maps: Weather map Features: Daily & hourly forecasts, mountain area forecasts, individual summit forecasts Offline: No www.metoffice.gov.uk |
Each forecast gives expected temperatures, wind chill, rain or snowfall, wind speeds with maximum gusts, humidity, visibility, and pressure. There are also general mountain forecasts for ten areas. These include mountain weather hazards such as gales and chill effect as well as the other information. The app also has an interactive rainfall radar map plus pollen and pollution forecasts and a UV index. There are real time Severe Weather Warnings too.
The Met office app works quickly and it’s easy to move between locations and forecasts. I consult it before any walk, high or low level. (In fact I check it daily so I have a picture of what the weather is doing, especially in winter). In the Cairngorms, my home hills, I often check the forecasts for summits at different heights and in different locations before deciding where to go. If the forecast suggest Sgor Gaoith above Glen Feshie will be less windy or drier and with better visibility than higher Ben Macdui then I’ll go there. You can save three locations for regular checking and it’s easy to add others.
Of course the Met Office forecast isn’t always correct, especially from hour to hour, but I’ve found it generally accurate. You need a phone signal too so it’s wise to check the forecast before losing the connection. I do so both the evening and morning before a walk.
