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Weather Forecast Chart

One of the more interesting classes I took in college (over 30 years ago) was a Meteorology course. In the back of the textbook was personal weather forecasting chart. Filing through some old paperwork I found a copy of the chart. I hope I’m not accused of plagiarism for sharing.

Here’s how it works. If you have access to a barometer, are watching its rising/falling trend, and keep an eye on the sky, you can create your own weather forecast. You’ll be surprised how accurate it is with a 12-24 hour window. If you’re a water buff, you’ll enjoy it. However, if you are more into tech and mobile apps, you may want to click here to check out which weather apps would suit you best when you are outdoors.

Hunting, Weather and the Adirondacks

Weather in the Adirondacks can be tricky, especially during the hunting season. If you come to these mountains to hunt, be prepared. Forecasts change very suddenly in this region and higher elevations can be immersed in inclimate weather in no time at all. Preparation is the key to your safety and the quality of your hunt. That’s why some hunters check the forecast before heading out or invest in a wireless weather indicator (click here for more info) for more personal readings. They might also look for the perfect professional weather station to suit their needs.
However, choosing a weather station involves sorting through lots of options and information. Reading some weather station reviews, might be an ideal solution to come to a conclusion on which equipment to buy. Anyways, whichever weather reading method you choose make sure you’re prepared for the predicted weather.

Hurricane force winds have been observed in this area on several occasions. In July of 1995 a “micro-burst” leveled areas of the forest in the High Peaks region as well as near Little Tupper and Cranberry Lakes. A smaller remnant of Hurricane Floyd knocked out power for days in September of 1999 and laid thousands of trees on the forest floor. Tropical Storm Irene, in 2011, wreaked havoc throughout the Northeast.

It’s not uncommon for early season weather to be warm. Our regular (rifle) deer hunting season starts in late October and often there is still plenty of fall foliage and leaves on the underbrush. Hunters wait for killing frosts and rain to bring down the leaves and open up the woods.

The western Adirondacks are susceptible to lake effect snowstorms as early as late October or early November. It’s not uncommon for these storms to leave a deep blanket of snow from Watertown to Old Forge and areas south and west. In most years the entire Adirondack region has at least some snow by late November and early December, which is when hunting season is winding down.

Putting the weather puzzle together is a vital part to any hunt. Note that most New York State hunting seasons are sunrise to sunset. Please note that the sunrise/set tables on this page are for Lake George, New York and will differ from region to region. Use them only as a guide. Many hunters plan their strategies and their vacations based on full moon cycles. There has been some interesting writings on this topic and thus full moon stages are included on this page.

Spring turkey hunting, too, is where hunters see a natural progression of weather patterns. The season is May 1-31 and is often highlighted by cooler weather early on when there is no foliage. Usually by the end of the month, and the turkey season, conditions are more summer-like and hunters are dealing with insects. However, in 2013 snow fell on parts of the region over Memorial Day weekend; a time when many are opening up their swimming pools.

The bottom line is that Adirondack hunters need to be prepared for any and all weather conditions regardless if you are hunting the early bear season in September or chasing rutting bucks in mid-November. You just never know what Mother Nature will have to offer.

The Hillbilly Weatherman’s
R Forecast