Check the Windy.app's must-read blog posts of 2022. Weather forecasting
In 2022, we've published more than a hundred different posts in the Windy.app blog: articles answering the most important questions about meteorology and outdoor activities, instructions on how to read a particular forecast or map, selections of the best outdoor spots, and specific tips on how to get the most out of the app itself. In this posts, we've selected the must-read 12 articles on weather forecasting that definitely shouldn't have been missed — just in case you have done so. Check also the similar posts on outdoors and learning the Windy.app.
1. How to get the most accurate weather forecast. Is it really possible?
The weather forecast could be a mess — unhappily familiar to anyone who uses weather apps and sites. It would be much easier to know exactly if it’s going to rain tomorrow and when or what the wind picture is in the area you’re looking at. However, it's impossible to predict the weather with 100% sure. But it is possible to improve your "gut feeling" understanding what an accurate weather forecast is and how it works.
2. How do we measure weather. The complete list of weather instruments (with photos)
The weather forecast you see in the weather app or the website is just the tip of the iceberg. Figuratively speaking, it is followed by the larger central part — the weather model that makes the forecast, and the base — the meteorological data about winds, precipitation, and so on. But where does that data come from?
3. What are weather models and how do they work
While this article is not intended to be absolutely comprehensive — to fully dive into the topic of weather models you need to understand a lot about meteorology, math, and physics in general — I'll try to explain what weather models are, how they work and update, what are the main types of weather models, and why are they sometimes inaccurate. So let's deal with one of the main concepts in weather forecasting.
4. A list of advanced weather elements you won’t find in the basic weather forecast
The weather, which looks like a single phenomenon, is in fact a set of different meteorological events expressed in specific values (numbers) at a particular place and time. These phenomena are also called weather elements or parameters, or parts, and the like. They fall into two large groups: the main ones, which you can find in every regular weather forecast, and the advanced ones, which can only be found in professional and specialized weather apps and sites like the Windy.app.
5. What is a weather forecast and how does it work
The weather forecast is not just about “sunny, no wind, and a zero percent chance of rain for today” (or vice versa). Behind these simple concepts, there are a lot of things, which are interesting and useful to know not only for those who are fond of meteorology but also for everyone.
6. How Big Data analytics helps in weather forecasting. An example of Windy.app
Surely you've heard of such a concept as Big Data. In short, it's just a lot of data about anything that can only be stored and analyzed by supercomputers. That is to say, it is very complicated. But Big Data has one major advantage, which follows from the name of the concept — it gives you a big picture, which you can't get in any other way.
7. How to read wind forecast to get better outdoor experience
The wind forecast is one of the several main types of weather forecasts, which is necessary for those who are engaged in various wind sports and outdoor activities. More: it is impossible to practice some of them as kitesurfing or sailing without this weather element. In this article, we will understand what a wind forecast is and how to read it using the Windy.app as an example.
8. What is extreme weather and how it relates to climate change
It is believed that the climate has been influenced by humans for centuries and now we can face the results of this effect. The question is: what is man's role in it? The 2021 United Nations report and other studies says: "It is a big role". In this article, we will understand what extreme weather is, what are the main types of extreme weather events, and how it relates to climate change.
9. ECMWF vs GFS. What’s the difference
ECMWF and GFS are two leading global weather models. This means that when you look at the weather forecast for your favorite spot and activity, you most likely see data from one of these two models. However, there is a logical question: what is the difference between the models, and which one is more accurate? Are there any alternatives? In this article, we will answer it.
10. The main types of weather warnings and how to read them
It is better to be aware about various harsh weather phenomena before they happen so that you can prepare for them and overcome them safely. For this purpose, there are various meteorological warnings, which you can subscribe to just like some travel blogger's YouTube channel (it will be more useful). In this article, we will understand what are weather warnings and how to read them, as well as how to install such alerts on your phone.
11. What are the scales of meteorology and how they are used
The concept of the scale of some phenomenon is common to physics, geography, astronomy, and, among others, meteorology. Hence, there are four main scientific scales: micro-, meso-, macro-, or synoptic, and mega-. So in this article, we will deal with all four types of meteorological scales. Let us say at once that these divisions are somewhat conditional, their boundaries may be blurred, and they also may not coincide in exact values with similar scales in other sciences.
12. Check the best places and times for observing unusual weather
Weather and natural phenomena can be roughly divided into two large groups: common and frequent, and unusual and rare (for most of the world's population). In this article, we have collected the best places and times to observe the main unusual weather and natural phenomena. For this, we have chosen 20 of 60+ lessons from our own Meteotextbook on better weather forecasting.
Check the Windy.app's must-read blog posts of 2022 on outdoors and learning the app.
Text: Windy.app
Cover photo: Sylvain Mauroux / Unsplash
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