GUIDE TO CHECKING

WEATHER WHEN
BUSH WALKING
INTRODUCTION TO WEATHER WHEN BUSHWALKING-
• Before embarking on your next bushwalking journey it is important to plan ahead and take into account
the weather conditions. Bad weather when unanticipated and unplanned can lead to a series of
dangerous unsafe circumstances.
• When you are drawing closer to the date of your bushwalking adventure the forecast should be
monitored for any emergency or major weather warnings.
• The participants should try to continuously monitor the weather throughout the entire duration of the
trip. If there is reception available it will be easy to monitor the weather through the Bom.gov.au
website (QR link available below). This will ultimately help to ensure an advanced weather warning that
could potentially lead to the trip being unable to proceed.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHECKING THE WEATHER-
• There are a lot of weather considerations you need to check before starting your bushwalk. These
include fog, wind, UV and rain. By having an understanding of these factors you can prepare yourself
accordingly to ensure you will be prepared for your trip.
• This table gives is a good guide to follow and indicates what protection is required depending on the UV
index rating.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR DIFFERENT WEATHER CONDITIONS-
What do clouds indicate?
• Clouds can be used as an indicator of current and approaching weather conditions. Having the skills to
interpret and recognise cloud formation will help with your bushwalking preparation and be aware of
incoming weather changes, allowing you to stay safe on your journey.
• There are 10 main types of clouds classified into 3 categories low, middle, high based on where they sit in the
atmosphere. This short video (link or QR code) will help explain the different types of clouds and how you can
use the as a way to recognise incoming weather.
•
CONSIDERATIONS FOR DIFFERENT WEATHER CONDITIONS-
What does wind indicate?
• Before commencing your trek it is important to check wind conditions (wind direction and wind speed).
If conditions are predicted to be about 40km/h consider changing route to avoid cliff edges for safety.
Consider postponing your trek if winds are higher than 60km/h (these winds are serious).
•
As weather can change quickly and become hazardous when you are already on your bushwalk it is
important to know how to identify the danger of incoming conditions. Tree movements are a great
indicator of wind direction and speed. This table indicates ways to observe tree movements and the
actions you should take to ensure safety (refer to slide 6).

How to minimise the risks if caught out unexpectedly in high winds:

• Weather systems can change quickly and you potentially can become caught in windy condition during
your bushwalk. If you find yourself in a situation where the force of the wind has become severe and
you need to seek shelter. This can be done by dropping down in elevation as this will reduce exposure
to windy conditions.
•
HOW TO READ A WEATHER MAP-
1. Weather maps (surface charts) are often filled with a variety of symbols, here is a handy guide to allow
you to better understand what weather maps are actually indicating:
2. One of the major aspects when reading a weather map is understanding air pressure. High pressure
means dry weather and low pressure means hot or humid air and sometimes precipitation.
3. Start off with a smaller area to interpret and try to identify any arrows, lines, colours or numbers present
on the map. In order to understand air pressure you need to look for isobars available on the map. Isobars
can be identified as plain or curved lines that indicate areas of high, equal or low pressure.
4. Try to interpret fronts, on a weather map you should be able to see a few lines that have either semi-
circles or triangles or both together. Depending on what side each of these shapes are will determine the
cold fronts direction.
5. Know the symbols on the weather map. The circle that is present in the centre represents cloud cover,
the pressure gradient will be in millibars and rainfall and temp will be recorded as celsius and millimeters.
BIBLIOGRAPHY-
• https://bushwalkingmanual.org.au/the-elements/understanding-the-weather/
• http://www.bushwalking101.org/walking-in-different-weather-condition
• http://www.bom.gov.au/places/sa/deep-creek/