Weather and road condition info

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by gekko1323, Nov 26, 2018.

  1. justa_driver

    justa_driver Road Train Member

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    I used to depend on the cb and the weather band on the cb to find out how things were ahead. North KS really got socked.They said this morning it was the worst snow theyve had in years. Had 70 closed from Salina to KC
     
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  3. Lepton1

    Lepton1 Road Train Member

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    I use the MyRadar app. I turn on the wind layer to get a good visual of winds feeding storm fronts. During really bad weather events that app is running continuously, like when I need to reroute to avoid developing super cells and/or tornadoes. I will often make major route changes to avoid bad weather, especially on long hauls. MyRadar is the best weather app out there IMHO.

    I also run Google Maps with the traffic layer turned on and will run the route on it while also running my Rand McNally GPS. Google Maps will give you voice traffic alerts and suggest alternative routes, just beware of taking their suggested route if you aren't familiar with it. It won't always be a good truck route.
     
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  4. gekko1323

    gekko1323 Road Train Member

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    Thanks for all your replies boys. I use the State DOT traffic sites and it gives me road closures and black ice notifications. But I wanted other options also and don't feel like downloading app after app.
     
  5. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    I try to feed into this one the TTR forums where possible which does not duplicate the efforts of others as well.

    I have the time and sometimes the oppertunity to take all that raw information from NWS and other sites like NHC, SPC etc online and try to condense it here for something that's coming on.

    As I write this we are expecting a Ice Storm for central ND and SD as well as Canada above on Wed and Thurs.

    Attached to that storm system will be severe weather coming into southern Arkansas and for us that means tornados this time of the year if it's strong enough. Otherwise it's either muddy or icy. Snow is a special treat we don't often see. Then again here in the south to take a foot of snow one morning overnight and see it gone by dinner is not that unusual in the right sun and wind with dry air blowing it all away.

    Once in a while a really epic system organizes like this current one hammering the NE VT, NH and upstate NY as I write this on it's way out.

    There is usually more. Flagstaff to Winslow for example. AZ You can visit the AZDOT pending a proper winter storm if big enough can be a real problem. But they are pretty good online where possible.

    Wyoming gets alot of action. It's routine for them. After a while you become part of it and it's not really a problem provided you are careful and have oceans of fuel, food and water with you. And kept a eye on the real time winds. Anything over 40 I don't take a empty big truck into.

    Even the east coast bridges. CBBT being one, CBB (US 50 Maryland) being another are pretty good at storm times.

    It still needs work. So we take it one storm at a time.
     
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  6. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    State road condition web sites are useless "travel not advised from Nov to March from Knoxville to Memphis due to possibility of black ice". The roads don't freeze the moment the air temp becomes 32. I use Radar Now app to see the current precipitation and temps.
     
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  7. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    Trucker Path shows the Google traffic layer info and has all of the truck stops & truck stop details in 1 app.
     
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  8. Makeajump

    Makeajump Medium Load Member

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    How does Google know the traffic conditions on all the roads well enough to propagate the traffic layer?
     
  9. Snakeschasingcars

    Snakeschasingcars Heavy Load Member

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    It tracks evweyone phone. There location and movement or lack there of. If a bunch of phonee are not moving or movinh very slowly on the highways it will show up.
     
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  10. STexan

    STexan Road Train Member

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    I don’t want a cluttered and clunky map. I’m goal oriented. If I’m concerned with traffic I want a traffic app. If I’m looking for a truck stop I want a truck stop locator app. And I rarely want both simultaneously. Are you sure traffic data is not delayed in trucker path? And are you sure it’s google data? I don’t use trucker path in favor of something else so I don’t know much about it but I do know google is not in a habit of sharing it’s proprietary current and live data with any outside parties.

    Example satellite views from outside apps must use older images than you see in google maps
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2018
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  11. STexan

    STexan Road Train Member

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    Longview, TX
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    Current example
    9B42322D-8C90-4123-92C2-65C38BA974D8.png

    Try it. It doesn’t cost anything. It’s the only thing of Google’s I’ll deal with because their Maps app beats anything out there and serves a great many purposes. Try and find an Asian massage parlor or a Twin Peaks restaurant using Trucker Path
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2018
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