Article #4: Mountain Weather Forecasting, by Barry Nielsen, Meteorologist
No matter the season, hunters can’t wait to get outside. However, taking a few minutes to learn some weather tips may make the hunt more enjoyable. They may even save your life.
Thunderstorms are one of the big outdoor hazards during the warmer parts of the year, especially during late-summer scouting trips and early season bow hunts. When the atmosphere becomes sufficiently heated and there is enough moisture in the air, thunderstorms can easily form like bubbles in a boiling pot of water. If you are watching one of these approach, it can be an exciting show, IF you know you are safe. These can, however sometimes be severe enough to create damaging winds, hail, very heavy rain and occasionally even tornadoes in certain parts of the country.
Lightning from thunderstorms can be very hazardous to people who are outside. Those big churning thunderstorm clouds that look so beautiful and billowy look that way because they have very turbulent air currents in them blowing in different directions. These cause the water drops and ice crystals within the clouds to bump into each other, creating an electrical charge in a way much like the way we create a charge of static electricity in our bodies when we scuff our shoes across the carpet. When a charge of electricity develops in the cloud that is different than that on the ground, a large spark between the ground and the cloud forms. Lighting can be lethal.
So, what should you do to protect yourself from lightning? The two safest things are to get into a grounded building (nearly all buildings are grounded) or into a car. But what if you can’t get into a building or car? What if you are up on a ridgeline, or out hiking a trail, or just out glassing a hillside?
Here are a couple of things to remember. The first is that lighting, when it goes between the cloud and the ground, will take the path of least resistance through something called a conductor. Air is not a particularly good conductor of electricity, so when the lightning can find an easier path to take, it will…like through metal, water or other things like that. It just so happens that since YOU are made up mostly of water, YOU are a good conductor of electricity! With that idea in mind, you do not want to provide that easier path for the lightning to go between the cloud and the ground. Therefore, make yourself the LOWEST thing around so that the lighting will find some other object that is higher. Also, keep in mind that trees are good conductors of electricity and are frequently struck. Therefore, it is dangerous to take shelter under a tree. That tree just may conduct the electricity right down to the ground and zap you while it’s doing it. Many people have been killed by lightning when seeking shelter under a tree. If you are in a forest where you can’t get away from the trees, try to find trees that are shorter. They are less likely to get struck Be aware that not all shelters are grounded and offer protection. A couple of summers ago some Boy Scouts were staying in wooden shelters in the mountains. They thought they were safe when a thunderstorm blew in. Since the shelters were not grounded , a scout was killed when one of the shelters got struck.
FINAL TIP: If you are outside under a dark cloud and your hair stands on end, YOU ARE IN BIG TROUBLE! GET DOWN LOW (CROUCH), TAKE A SAFE SHELTER, OR DO SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY!
Another possible problem with thunderstorms are flash floods. The National Weather Service is constantly monitoring the weather situation and does an excellent job warning of the potential for flash floods associated with thunderstorms. However, hunters are often caught unaware…sometimes with deadly consequences. Always check the latest forecast for thunderstorm potential before leaving for your hike or campout. If there is mention of thunderstorms in the forecast, keep a wary eye on the sky, keep out of dry washes and out of slot canyons. A flash flood can come roaring down these and get you in a matter of minutes. Sometimes, it doesn’t even have to be raining where you are. There have been cases where people have been caught in flash floods from rain that has been falling 30 or more miles away!. Another important thing to remember is to not try to drive through a flooded area, even if it looks like you can make it. Never under estimate the power of water. Fast moving water as shallow as a half foot can sweep your vehicle away…so be smart and STAY OUT.
When venturing into the mountains always be prepared for extreme weather conditions…even in the summer. As a rule of thumb expect the weather to be colder and stormier in the mountains than it is in the nearby valleys. On a typical day, the temperature is usually about 5-6 degrees lower for every 1000 feet in altitude gain. This means that on a warm summer day when the temperature is 95 in the valley at an elevation of 4000 feet, it will probably be in the upper 60’s at 9000 feet. It feels great, but what about that day in August when a cool spell moves in? It may be 65 degrees in the valley but only the mid to upper 30’s at 9000 feet with possible snow. This has caught many hunters by surprise in the high country and they have had to end a trip that started out great, hiking out in the snow, or at best, cold and miserable!
In the fall, the weather in the mountains can become even more critical. A good hunting trip that started out with relatively warm temperatures and dry crunchy leaves can quickly turn into a disaster with heavy snow, subfreezing temperature and strong winds. Hunters should always go prepared for these conditions with a winter survival kit and shovel in their vehicle and the latest weather forecast in their minds. Remember, the temperature could be 20-30 degrees colder and the snowfall may be heavy in the mountains, even when none is forecast for the valleys. Snowfalls of two to three feet are not that uncommon in the high country during hunting season, so prepare accordingly.
