What's you all's preferred methods to check the weather while in the back country with no cell service?
Step out of Tent at 4am ..........Take a piss if it hits you in the Face.....Hunt in that direction......
Weather radios can usually get reception if it's important enough to haul one in. The main thing I would worry about is a late season snow dump that could make it hard to hike or drive out. Since I usually hunt in the early seasons the forecast doesn't really change what I do so I tend not to worry about it.
Most weather forecasts are reasonably accurate 5 or more days out. If a storm is forecast for next week, use discretion on where you go. Don't carry a Farmers Almanac and expect it to keep you warm and dry except for tinder.
I cary and use a small handheld weather radio....but I hunt from a base camp not a pack camp.
Tried and true weather rock...
Garmin InReach texts with daily and 5 day forecasts sent from my wife from the nearest 3 towns/watherstations/areas to where I hunting. Works great.
Garmin InReach texts with daily and 5 day forecasts sent from my wife from the nearest 3 towns/watherstations/areas to where I hunting. Works great.
Have done the same. Sometimes you have to train them to get aviation weather forecasts when there isn't a town nearby. I think the InReach has a way to request a weather report too, but haven't done it.
I've used the InReach weather. It's ok but costs $$ every update.
Im a ham radio operator. I usually tune a VHF radio to the NOAA weather stations.
Weather radio broadcasts in the United States (NOAA NWR) and Canada (Weatherradio Canada) occur on seven dedicated frequencies:
162.400 Mhz
162.425
162.450
162.475
162.500
162.525
162.550
Most of our forecasts are accurate enough for 4-6 days out, sometimes longer if the pattern is stable. I don't usually go out more than 3-4 days at a time if conditions are in flux so generally the normal forecasts are good enough. I also have no hesitation to pull the plug on a trip if conditions look ominous.
For me, the real weather challenge is often back at home. I usually organize and load my pack a week or two in advance. It can be difficult, using a forecast 10-14 days into the future, to predict which gear to bring.
Tom