I am wondering what the best resources for weather information are. Right now, I've found current weather and forecasts at BBC, weather.com, and the mountain weather information service websites. In the US, I use weather.gov, as it has stations and forecasts in many remote places. Is there an equivalent in the UK? Any suggestions for getting weather updates when walking? And ground conditions at the start, to decide whether to bring microspikes or crampons? Thanks!

I use the netweather website for weather. More importantly they have a free mobile phone app which will give you the radar so you can see where the rain is. Try their website here:

http://www.netweather.tv/

The Mountain Weather Information Service is my go-to resource. Includes downloadable PDFs. Click here to access their website. Includes synoptic charts and avalanche forecasts.

If you'd like to take a look, Click here to see today's forecast for the West Highlands

Another useful site is Magic Seaweed - designed for surfers(!) but if you access there wind forecasts it can be really handy. Click here to take a closer look You can run a seven-day animation to show wind strength and direction (click on the video controls on the top right of their page).

BBC Radio Scotland used to broadcast a hillwalkers weather forecast, region by region. Not sure if it's still broadcast, I found it useful. Take a tiny radio that receives LW and MW: BBC R Scotland on 810khz is audible over much of Scotland, as is BBC R4 on 198khz.

Hi JJ, yes, it is indeed still broadcast. The forecast is called "Outdoor conditions" - details here. I used to listen to it, but gave up because the MWIS is so good. If you could only get radio, it would be a good option.

Thanks for all the links. They are really helpful. I like the idea of bringing a radio, especially as I haven't figured out what I'll do for a phone yet. In addition to having radio for the weather, I imagine Radio 4 would be nice company on cold, wet nights in the tent (of which, touch wood, there will be few to none, right?)

A radio is good for weather forecasts and insomniacs (World Service on R4 during night)! Trouble is, you will seldom get FM.
It was technowizard Ian Cotterill who alerted me, years ago, to SONY Walkman model SRF-M37L which gets MW & LW, and mine lives on R4 LW during the Challenge (except when what my Parisian sister calls the b****y cricket is on). But this year I shall try it to see if I get those Outdoor Pursuits forecasts on Radio Scotland MW - it works at home.
Not cheap, but a fantastic wee instrument, single AAA battery lasts ages, and I've had mine for a decade, for all sorts of travel.

Happy hiking!

The Sony SRF-M37L is no longer made. They do sometimes come up on eBay but you need to be careful because there is a SRF-M37 model that is far more common but it doesn't have LW.

Ian C.

Wow. Thanks Ian, in that case I'll take extra good care of mine: I love it!

Surely somebody, somewhere, makes a similar one? Or is digital taking over this world, too? Think I'll ask my son in Tokyo to check this out, seems like a good place to start.