Grrrr...Weather Forcasts

**P Chang** · 07-26-2015, 21:33

Am camping at Roosevelt State Park in Pine Mountain, GA for a few days. I checked the weather report 3 times today and it was 0% chance of rain, so I didn't bother setting up my tarp. As I lay here now, I check the weather once more and it's a 39% chance of a thunderstorm at midnight. 😩

Seeing as how it's pitch black out, I'm not feeling the urge to get up and hang my tarp. If it rains, I'm half way thinking of just sleeping through it. Only other option would be to retreat to my vehicle, which I just cannot see happening since its up the trail a ways.

Wish weather forecasts could be more accurate, but in the South during the summer, I guess I should have know better.

**MarkThompson** · 07-26-2015, 21:39

I've learned to almost ignore forecasts (rain, anyway). I've had 90% chances of rain do absolutely nothing, and 10% chances rain over half the day. I check the weather just for the temps and to know what extra to bring, otherwise, I almost always set up my tarp now-a-days.

**TominMN** · 07-26-2015, 21:47

Originally Posted by P Chang

Am camping at Roosevelt State Park in Pine Mountain, GA for a few days. I checked the weather report 3 times today and it was 0% chance of rain, so I didn't bother setting up my tarp. As I lay here now, I check the weather once more and it's a 39% chance of a thunderstorm at midnight. ��

Seeing as how it's pitch black out, I'm not feeling the urge to get up and hang my tarp. If it rains, I'm half way thinking of just sleeping through it. Only other option would be to retreat to my vehicle, which I just cannot see happening since its up the trail a ways.

Wish weather forecasts could be more accurate, but in the South during the summer, I guess I should have know better.

What was that motto? Oh, yah,..."be prepared!"

I thought you were one of those guys who always pitches the tarp and keeps it in the skins if the sky is clear.

Hope you don't get too wet!

**bkrgi** · 07-26-2015, 22:41

Read another forecast....which says 0% chance...hahaha Which shows for Pine Mountain upon my just google...
Many times I see 3 differing forecasts for my area.

**SilvrSurfr** · 07-26-2015, 23:07

I generally don't read the weather forecasts because they're too inaccurate. I got tired of getting wet during "0% chance of rain" so now I usually set up the tarp regardless.

**webhanger** · 07-26-2015, 23:19

I use the 50 percent forecast....

50 percent it will or won't.

**Floridahanger** · 07-26-2015, 23:44

Yup, the "0%" in the South only means for that moment in time as your looking up. That changes in 10 minutes.

Get in the practice of always setting up the tarp. If you have a CRL, continuous ridgeline, you can pull up the stakes and slide the head end past your torso. If it starts to rain or wind sends tree debris down, maybe a squirrel dropping, er, something on you, you can pull the tarp taught and restake the ends in 30 seconds.

I believe Shug has a video in his Hammocking for Noobs series in the 8th or 9th installment.

Hope you stay dry.

**P Chang** · 07-27-2015, 05:37

Luck was on my side and there was no rain last night. In the future, I think I'll go ahead and hang the tarp and just keep it in the snake skins unless it's needed. I'll look for that Shug video...sounds interesting.

**mrh_on** · 07-27-2015, 06:45

Sounds like a good plan. I hate getting wet so a little setup time to get the tarp ready isn't so bad. Then just put it in some skins so it's ready to go should any rain start(off you have them that is)