Those of us who live in seasonal places, other than perpetually sunny Florida and Southern California, are often at the mercy of a great force of nature, one that can affect our moods, alter our plans, dictate what we eat and do, and even influence our safety. This all-powerful entity goes by a single name: Weather.
In some regions of the U.S., we are nothing less than perplexed by the weather. Montanans, perhaps among the best acquainted with weather's many moods, have a saying: "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes." Though possibly a slight exaggeration, this expression illustrates weather's ever-changing face and relative unpredictability. It keeps us on our toes.
But today, more than ever, there's little reason to rely on hunches, gut instinct, or aching joints as predictors of weather conditions. Technology enables us not only to anticipate what the weather will be like with relative accuracy, but also to easily access reliable weather updates and reports on road conditions with a mere mouse click.
To avoid being stymied by the weather at any time of year, utilize one or more of these great weather resources:
- Weather.com: This Weather Channel website is comprehensive. In addition to providing up-to-the-minute local weather maps and forecasts for literally thousands of locales across the globe, it also offers pollen reports (handy for allergy sufferers), air quality forecasts, and an interstate forecast planner, an indispensible tool for travel safety.
- Weatherpictureoftheday.com: For the visually inclined who appreciate actual photographic images of weather happenings, this site delivers-literally. You can have a Weather Picture of the Day delivered to your email's inbox every day for no charge. You can also peruse this site for awe-inspiring images of all the scary/cool havoc weather can wreak, from a lighting bolt striking the World Trade Center to a whirling tornado moving across a prairie and taking no prisoners.
- Weatherunderground.com: This site offers forecasts, photos and videos, and a great "community section" full of blogs by meteorologists and others with inside knowledge of the weather's next move. It also offers a "WunderMap" iPhone app for those who need weather deets on the go.
- The National Severe Storms Laboratory: Found online at nssl.noaa.gov, this research laboratory provides information about the causes, locations, and consequences of severe weather such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and thunderstorms. It's a good resource for teachers as well as anyone who wants to expand their weather knowledge beyond tomorrow's expected high and low.
- Road Conditions: Visit the above-mentioned weather.com or weatherunderground.com, or visit the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration website, fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo/, for specific information about roads in your region.
- 511: Dial this number to get traffic and road condition information tailored to your area. This is ideal for those times when you don't have access to a computer. Visit my511.org to sign up so you can access customized information about your region, come rain or come shine.
For all of your insurance related questions, call or contact Insurance Wagon today.