Reading the Weather: A Teacher's Guide to Forecasting for Field Studies

The forecast says 12°C with a chance of rain. So what does that actually mean for your field study?

When you're taking students outdoors, the weather forecast is an important part of your planning.

Weather can affect safety, access, student comfort and whether your planned fieldwork will work as intended.

At Branch Out, we don't simply check whether it will rain. We look at the forecast in relation to the location, the activity and the conditions students will actually experience.

Here's what to look for and how to use the forecast to make good fieldwork decisions.

Why Are Weather Forecasts So Important?

Weather can directly affect your field study.

Rain can change river levels and ground conditions. Strong winds can make exposed coastal sites uncomfortable or unsafe. Low cloud can reduce visibility, while warm weather brings considerations around water and sun exposure.

Weather can also affect the quality of your investigation, changing access to a site, the activities you can carry out or the data students collect.

The key is knowing when weather adds to the fieldwork—and when it means you need to adapt or postpone.

Where to Find a Good Forecast

You don't need to check every weather app available. For school fieldwork in Ireland, these are the sources we find most useful.

Met Éireann

Met Éireann should be your starting point for fieldwork in Ireland. It provides official forecasts and weather warnings, along with specialist information for coastal, marine and mountain conditions.

Best for: general forecasts, warnings and Ireland-specific information.

Windy

Windy provides a useful visual picture of wind, rain, temperature, waves and other conditions.

Best for: wind, rain and visualising changing weather.

Ventusky

Ventusky provides another clear visual forecast and allows you to compare different forecast models.

Best for: comparing forecasts and getting a broader picture.

Mountain-Forecast

For upland and mountain fieldwork, Mountain-Forecast provides forecasts for specific mountain locations and elevations.

Best for: mountain and upland conditions.

Which one should you use?

Start with Met Éireann, then use the information that is most relevant to your location.

Urban or lowland: Met Éireann + Windy/Ventusky

River: Met Éireann + rainfall Windy/Ventusky

Coastal: Met Éireann marine/coastal information + Windy

Mountain or upland: Met Éireann mountain information + Mountain-Forecast

The important thing isn't finding the "perfect" weather app. It's using the right information for the environment and activity you're taking your students into.

What Should You Actually Look For?

You don't need to become a meteorologist to make good fieldwork decisions.

For most school field studies, focus on these key conditions.

1. Wind Speed, Direction and Gusts

Don't just look at wind speed.

Wind direction matters too.

A particular wind direction can make an exposed coastline much more uncomfortable or push waves directly towards the area where you're working.

And check the gusts.

For example:

Wind: 20 km/h

Gusts: 40 km/h

Those are very different conditions.

Look at speed, direction, and gusts together.

2. Rainfall – Not Just "Rain"

Look at how much rain is forecast and when it is expected.

A light shower spread over several hours is very different from a large amount of rain falling in a short period.

Timing matters too.

For river studies, recent rainfall is particularly important because today's weather isn't necessarily the whole story.

3. Temperature

Temperature matters, but so does the effect of wind and rain.

Students standing around recording data can feel the cold much more than students who are constantly moving.

Cold + wet + wind = very unhappy fieldworkers!

Warm weather needs planning too. Water, shade, sun protection and regular breaks become more important as temperatures rise.

4. Visibility and Cloud

For lowland fieldwork, visibility may simply affect how easily students can see the landscape.

For coastal and upland fieldwork, it can be much more important.

Low cloud and mist can reduce visibility quickly, particularly at higher elevations.

If students are working near steep terrain or exposed sites, visibility needs to form part of your planning.

5. Thunderstorms

This one is simple.

If thunderstorms are forecast, Branch Out cancels the field study.

Thunderstorms bring lightning as well as potentially heavy rain and gusty winds.

For school fieldwork, particularly in exposed locations, we don't believe it is worth taking the risk.

6. UV and Heat

On warmer days, think about:

• Water

• Shade

• Sun protection

• Length of exposure

• Breaks

Students can become dehydrated surprisingly quickly when they are busy collecting data.

Coastal Fieldwork: Look Beyond the Weather Forecast

For coastal fieldwork, the standard weather forecast is only part of the picture.

Look at:

Wind direction and strength

Wave height

Swell

Wave period

Tides

Sea conditions

Marine warnings

Met Éireann provides dedicated marine forecasts, coastal reports, buoy observations and wave information.

A beach can look relatively calm while swell creates very different conditions at the shoreline.

For coastal fieldwork, don't just ask:

"Is it raining?"

Ask:

"What is the sea doing?"

River Fieldwork: Today's Rain Isn't the Whole Story

River conditions can change significantly after rainfall.

Before a river field study, check:

• Rainfall in the previous 24–48 hours

• Forecast rainfall

• River levels

• Flow conditions

• Access routes

• Ground conditions

A dry morning doesn't necessarily mean a river is at its normal level. Recent rainfall upstream may still be affecting it.

For some investigations, this can make the day more interesting. For others, it may mean adapting the activity or choosing a different location.

Mountain and Upland Fieldwork

Conditions at elevation can be very different from those in the nearest town.

Temperature can drop.

Wind speeds can increase.

Clouds can lower quickly.

Visibility can disappear.

Rain can make difficult terrain more challenging.

Don't just check the weather in the nearest town. Check the conditions at the elevation and location where your students will actually be working.

This is where mountain-specific forecasts are particularly useful.

How Often Should You Check?

Keep it simple. The closer you get to the field study, the more closely you should check the forecast.

A week before: Get a general picture.

Three days before: Check wind, rain, temperature and warnings.

The day before: Check the forecast for the actual hours you'll be outdoors and any site-specific information.

On the morning: Check again before you leave.

The forecast can change, so don't rely on what it said a week ago.

Weather Warnings

Met Éireann uses three warning levels.

🟡 Yellow

Potentially dangerous weather on a localised scale.

A Yellow warning doesn't automatically mean cancel. Consider the location, activity and conditions.

🟠 Orange

Dangerous or disruptive weather.

At Branch Out, an Orange warning or above means we cancel the field study.

🔴 Red

Rare and extremely dangerous or destructive weather.

Follow official advice and do not proceed with outdoor fieldwork.

And remember: no warning doesn't necessarily mean ideal conditions. Wind, rain, river levels, sea conditions and visibility still need to be considered.

Have a Clear Cancellation Policy

Deciding before the morning of the trip makes things much easier.

At Branch Out:

🟠 Orange warning or above = cancelled

⚡ Thunderstorms forecast = cancelled

For other conditions, we consider the site, activity, and forecast and decide whether the field study can proceed safely or needs to be adapted.

Sometimes postponing is simply the right decision.

Good fieldwork planning includes knowing when not to go.

The Forecast Is a Guide

Weather forecasts are incredibly useful, but they aren't guarantees.

Forecasts can change, different models can disagree and conditions can develop differently from predicted.

That's why we check more than one source when necessary—and always assess the conditions when we arrive.

The forecast tells you what is expected.

The site tells you what is actually happening.

Branch Out's Weather Routine

Our approach is straightforward:

Check the forecast → Check the site-specific conditions → Assess the risk → Adapt or postpone if necessary.

Throughout the process, we're asking one question:

Will these conditions allow us to give students a safe, enjoyable and worthwhile field study?

Sometimes the answer is yes.

Sometimes we adapt.

And occasionally, we postpone.

That's part of working outdoors.

Branch Out Top Tip

Don't just check the weather. Read the weather.

Look at the wind, rain, temperature and warnings, then consider what they mean for your particular location and activity.

For coastal work, look at the sea.

For river work, look at recent rainfall and river levels.

For upland work, look at conditions at elevation.

And always consider what those conditions mean for your students.

Good fieldwork starts with good planning.

What weather conditions should teachers check before fieldwork?

Teachers should check more than the chance of rain. Wind speed and gusts, rainfall, temperature, visibility, weather warnings and site-specific conditions can all affect safety and the activities students can carry out.

How often should you check the weather before a field study?

Start with a general forecast about a week before the field study, check conditions again around three days before, review the forecast for the actual outdoor hours the day before, and check again on the morning of the trip.

What weather information is important for coastal fieldwork?

For coastal fieldwork, teachers should consider wind direction and strength, wave height, swell, wave period, tides, sea conditions and marine warnings, rather than looking only at the standard weather forecast.

Why is recent rainfall important for river fieldwork?

Recent rainfall can affect river levels and flow conditions even when the weather is dry on the day of the field study. Teachers should consider rainfall from the previous 24–48 hours, forecast rainfall, river levels, access routes and ground conditions.

When should a school field study be cancelled because of weather?

The decision should consider the location, activity and actual conditions rather than relying on one forecast figure. Branch Out's stated policy is to cancel for an Orange weather warning or above and when thunderstorms are forecast; other conditions are assessed according to the site and activity.