Weather is always a major factor in deciding whether we go camping. If I was young and single I would probably be a little more gung-ho about the weather I camp in, but I am not inclined to take a family with young children camping if the predicted weather is less than ordinary.
On a recent camping trip, I used the following sources to monitor the weather.
- Bureau of Meteorology Sunshine Coast weather forecast
- Bureau of Meteorology Gympie radar loop
- WindGURU Noosa River Caravan Park custom spot
- Weatherzone Noosa Heads weather.
I am a big fan of WindGURU because it lets you plot a spot anywhere on earth and provides a forecast for that spot. I plotted a spot right on our campsite at the Noosa River Caravan Park (although WindGURU has a global resolution of about 50 km, less in some defined areas like North America). If the weather is grey, overcast and generally miserable where you are, cheer yourself up by looking at the freakishly bad weather usually found on Heard Island and Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean! WindGURU also provides weather forecasts in three hour blocks, which is very useful if you are planning a half-day activity and want to miss the morning rain. Apps are available for various mobile devices.
Weatherzone provides a very comprehensive weather service and also has a mobile version of the site for mobile phones and hand held devices. Weatherzone provides a huge amount of information, including forecasts in three hour blocks, a 7-day forecast, tides, and sunrise and sunset. The radar is pretty avergage, so you are best looking at the Bureau of Meteorology web site for that.