topic Re: Information gathering when traveling in Community Chat

Information gathering when traveling

Marp — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:33:08 GMT

I have been following coverage of hurricane Melissa. There were several interviews with tourists stuck in Jamaica, including one woman, a Katrina survivor, that was close to panic.

The coverage and the interviews prompted a question--when traveling (domestic or foreign) how much attention do you pay to weather and news reports?

The Jamaica tourists had information about the severity of the pending storm for more than a week before it became too late to leave the area yet it seems the ones interviewed were caught off guard when the airports closed.

Perhaps I'm unusual but when I travel I do a news and weather check once or twice a day.

Re: Information gathering when traveling

wagirl — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:37:58 GMT

If I were a traveler--I certainly would want to know about all things weather related, no matter the time of year. Fortunately for me, I have never traveled far and have no desire to travel in the future.

Re: Information gathering when traveling

AuntG — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:43:19 GMT

Even on the short trips we take, I always pull up the forecast for the area. It must be awful for those stranded by Melissa.

Re: Information gathering when traveling

rockygems123 — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:46:44 GMT

@Marp

Working for 2 different airlines - on the ground not as a flight attendant - you check travel conditions constantly domestically and internationally.

Sometimes there are surprises but most of the time there is ample warning.

Mother nature has a mind of her own however even with warnings Mt St Helens eruption comes to mind.

Re: Information gathering when traveling

Sooner — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:51:06 GMT

@Marp wrote:
I have been following coverage of hurricane Melissa. There were several interviews with tourists stuck in Jamaica, including one woman, a Katrina survivor, that was close to panic.

The coverage and the interviews prompted a question--when traveling (domestic or foreign) how much attention do you pay to weather and news reports?

The Jamaica tourists had information about the severity of the pending storm for more than a week before it became too late to leave the area yet it seems the ones interviewed were caught off guard when the airports closed.

Perhaps I'm unusual but when I travel I do a news and weather check once or twice a day.

@Marp I was a tornado victim at a young age. I check weather frequently when we are traveling and plan around that. I check the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center Convective Outlook several times especially when we travelin the spring.

We've gotten up at o'dark thirty several times to start home from the east coast to make it far enought west to get around a front before it fires storms later in the day. Husband is used to it. Trust me, you do NOT want to run into a tornato on the highway. Bad bad idea.

Re: Information gathering when traveling

kaydee50 — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 17:00:52 GMT

We always check the weather wherever we are. Hurricane predictions are usually far in advance so there's plenty of time to evacuate. If you don't, your choice.

Re: Information gathering when traveling

tansy — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 17:20:41 GMT

When we were on the road during our snowbird years, I certainly checked the weather conditions.

Re: Information gathering when traveling

beach-mom — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 17:22:23 GMT

We are always conscious when traveling. Storms can be so unpredictable, but you have to be ready to change your plans.

Years ago we were leaving DH's parents after Thanksgiving. We stopped to say goodbye to his one sister and her family, and she talked us into staying for lunch. After lunch while we were cleaning up, I noticed DH and his BIL staring at the TV. A bad snowstorm had changed direction and was heading right to an area we would be traveling through to get home. We stayed, and started to make phone calls telling our coworkers.

DS lives in a hurricane-prone area. A few years ago one was coming. Wednesday it was Category 3; by Friday it was Category 5. He had no car at the time, and he was in the process of moving to a new apartment that weekend. No planes were leaving. The whole experience was a nightmare.

Re: Information gathering when traveling

Pittfanatic — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 17:52:02 GMT

Yes, we always check the weather reports. We have homes on both coasts of Florida so this time of year we are glued to the weather channel to make sure there is nothing out there that might affect us. If we are going out of town for more than two weeks during hurricane season, we close our hurricane shutters and bring everything in just in case. I would have never gone to Jamaica with that storm out there. We have cancelled more than one vacation for that very reason. That is why you buy trip insurance.

Re: Information gathering when traveling

Marp — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 18:00:50 GMT

Thanks everyone. Based on the replies so far I guess I'm not that unusual. Heartening.

I just can't imagine traveling and not keeping at least a minimal eye on the weather and news.

Re: Information gathering when traveling

Kachina624 — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 19:52:38 GMT

I belong to a group who use 4-wheel drive vehicles to explore primitive roads in SW Colorado. Twice in the past week search teams have had to rescue two parties, one from Florida, one from Texas, who decided to drive up to over 12,000ft in altitude without giving a thought to the weather. Big mistake as both had to be rescued from 2ft+ of snow by volunteers that had to hike part of the way. Could have been a fatal mistake.

Re: Information gathering when traveling

Desertdi — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 20:52:07 GMT

You can't expect a refund on your accomodations for "bad weather", either.

Re: Information gathering when traveling

shoekitty — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 01:12:13 GMT

NOAA the national weather service is closed from government closure. They refer to weather service, but had trouble getting into that. Deep sigh here. I always depend on NOAA

Re: Information gathering when traveling

kze — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 02:30:54 GMT

I've spent more time checking the weather when traveling than when at home.

Re: Information gathering when traveling

Lucky Charm — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 02:48:08 GMT

We go to the LA area at least twice a year, usually in winter. I always follow the weather for the week we'll be there.

One year, heavy rain was forcasted. It's the year Oprah's neighborhood was literally swept away.

Our flight was overbooked and we were offered overnight hotel accommodations, flights the following day and a huge credit to use in the future.

My husband didn't want to take it. !!!

So we went ahead and flew there, were saturated for at least two days. I drove as far south as I could every day to get out of the rains.

I did visit some charming towns we'd never been to before (San Clemente, for one).

I'll never let him make that call again, though....

Re: Information gathering when traveling

Stray — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:25:09 GMT

We always check the weather. We travel & usually with Tauck & they check weather often & will rearrange outdoor activities if forecast isn’t ideal for an activity.