Weather Wisdom

As I sat inside last week, working from home due to the weather, I felt inspired to do a little research on tools to help one stay on top of the forecast at every stage of the event planning process. Whether it is driving conditions and parking availability in the winter, or outdoor venues and rain cover in the summer, weather will always be a factor in event management. Depending on your location, predicting the weather may be easier than in other places. Here are a few tools and reminders for planning your personal and corporate events with weather in mind.

Smart Phone Apps

When it comes to the best weather apps for your phone I recommend checking out Tech Attend’s “10 Best Android Weather Apps That Will Help You Plan Ahead!” This article sums up each app and helps you figure out which one is right for you. If you’re looking for a free app Yahoo weather is my personal favorite. The simple design and changing photographs are aesthetically pleasing, it is easy to navigate, and provides enough detail to plan your day appropriately. If you want an app that will give you updates on site, AccuWeather provides you with the option to allow push notifications and includes additional features such as videos, relevant news, and weather maps.

Historical Weather Patterns

If you are planning an event in a location you are unfamiliar with it is important to do a little research on climate and the areas usual weather patterns. The Weather Channel has a tool that allows you to look at average monthly temperature and precipitation for any location. If you are trying to decide between locations, you can compare these basic facts here as well. Additionally, some Local weather channels offer historical weather patterns for their area, such as the Weather Planner provided by KSL Broadcasting in Salt Lake City.

Private Weather Services

While local news, phone applications, and online resources can be helpful and sufficient in most cases, private weather services are an option. Providers such as Precision Weather, or Big Day Weather, provide their clients with detailed reports, location specific information, and weather updates before and throughout the events.

Have a Plan

Obviously, every event should have a back-up plan in case of bad weather conditions. However depending on the region you are working in, this may need to be quite extensive. When working in hurricane or tornado territory it may be important to have a back-up generator, or to set up a plan of action for large group transfers, whether in the air or on the ground. Safety plans should be clearly communicated to all staff and vendors.

Be Flexible

No matter how much planning, preparation, or practice you have, Mother Nature can be unpredictable. This is why it is most important to stay flexible and expect the unexpected.

Do you have any weather tips of your own? Let us know.