localized weather predictions

January 15, 2007 8:11 AM

Weather junkies: How localized are predictions?

Though I can get live local data from wunderground.com and weatherbug.com, the PREDICTIONS seem to be generalized for a wider area and don't reflect my city. I Live in Antioch (google map), a suburb very east of SF. Predicted temps and rain are rarely correct. So, who ARE they forcasting for? And WHO is actually doing the forcasting on those sites?

posted by cccorlew to Science & Nature (2 answers total)

The Bay Area has some notorious microclimates. You're probably in a spot where the weather is completely unlike anything within five miles of you, e.g. you're in a mountainous river valley. The general forecast for the East Bay isn't going to apply to you, but because of time and shorthand, the NWS can't cycle through every city in the Sacramento Valley in the main forecast summary.

They are rolling out point forecasts, though. Try checking this forecast against what you actually observe.
posted by dw at 9:12 AM on January 15, 2007

Ever tried weatherbonk.com?
posted by drstein at 9:29 PM on January 15, 2007