Summer 2003 was a record breaker. Despite concerns about water shortages and rock hard greens and fairways, the consistently hot weather meant that most of the time at least we knew what to expect weather-wise.
The Spring this year was also mostly fine but, unfortunately, offered false hope of another long hot summer. In fact Summer 2004 saw a return to type. Bar the odd respite, most of us have been dodging the showers ever since Wimbledon opened its doors, way back in June.
In fact it has not been an overly cool or even exceptionally wet summer (not everywhere at least). ‘Unsettled‘ or ‘changeable‘ are words which sum it up pretty well. But these somewhat vague and imprecise descriptions are the last thing course managers and contractors want to see or hear in a weather forecast. The underlying uncertainty, of course, has huge implications for planning and, therefore, for productivity.
WeatherCast, is a new service from PA WeatherCentre that gives golf club managers and contractors the ability to track and forecast their local weather. It is a p.c. application that allows end users to access, via the Internet, a comprehensive set of forecast information as well as the latest satellite and radar imagery.
It is the radar facility within WeatherCast that sets it apart from other weather services and is why it is already proving to be so popular within the sporting sector. Actual precipitation is visualised on maps with powerful zoom capabilities and road and river network overlays.
Essentially, this is real-time information that removes the element of doubt inherent in a weather forecast. Any UK location can be flagged up on the map and users can accurately track and predict rainfall in terms of both timing and quantity.
Current users of the WeatherCast software range from county cricket sides looking for perfect pitches and tactical advantage to local authorities maintaining parks and infrastructure.
The uses within the weather-sensitive golf industry would seem just as varied. For more information on WeatherCast and any other services from PA WeatherCentre, contact Chris Rees on 0207 963 7697 or visit www.paweathercentre.com .
Real-time local weather info
