Winlink Weather Forecast from NWS: Easy Access to Weather Updates via Email

In today’s world, staying updated on the weather is crucial, especially for those operating in remote locations or during outdoor activities. Winlink provides a great solution for obtaining weather forecasts through simple email requests. With support for various location formats, you can quickly access weather data from your device, whether you’re using a zip code, city and state, or even coordinates from Google Maps.

Simple, Effective Weather Updates

One of the standout features of the Winlink Weather Forecast service is how easy it is to use. The process requires only an email with the location you want the forecast for in the subject line, leaving the body of the email empty. Whether you’re at home or in the field, the convenience of receiving weather information directly to your inbox is invaluable.

For instance, a simple short forecast request could be sent like this:

Example of a Short Forecast: To: weather@hamdesk.com
Subject: 97103

This will return an email containing a short weather forecast for the location corresponding to 97103 (Astoria, OR), as follows:

Astoria, OR Weather Forecast:

• Tonight: 44°F, Chance Showers then Showers
• Wednesday: 52°F, Showers and Breezy then Showers Likely
• Wednesday Night: 42°F, Showers
• Thursday: 49°F, Showers and Breezy
• Thursday Night: 42°F, Showers and Breezy then Showers Likely
• Friday: 56°F, Chance Showers
• Friday Night: 41°F, Mostly Clear
• Saturday: 59°F, Sunny
• Saturday Night: 42°F, Mostly Clear
• Sunday: 58°F, Sunny
• Sunday Night: 42°F, Mostly Clear
• Monday: 57°F, Mostly Sunny
• Monday Night: 45°F, Slight Chance Showers
• Tuesday: 55°F, Chance Showers

This forecast is concise, providing essential information in a few lines, making it ideal for quick check-ins.

Detailed Long-Range Forecasts

If you’re looking for more detailed weather information, Winlink’s system also supports long-range forecasts. Simply include “full” in the subject line, followed by the location (zip code or city/state), and you’ll receive a comprehensive weather outlook. Here’s an example:

Example of a Long Forecast: To: weather@hamdesk.com
Subject: full 97103

This will return a detailed weather forecast for Astoria, OR, including specifics on temperature, wind speed, precipitation chances, and more:

Astoria, OR Full Weather Forecast:

• Tonight: 41°F, Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 41. South southeast wind 10 to 14 mph, gusts as high as 22 mph. 90% chance of precipitation, with new rainfall between 0.25 and 0.5 inches.
• Thursday: 49°F, Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 49. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 13 to 18 mph, gusts as high as 26 mph. 100% chance of precipitation, with new rainfall between 0.5 and 0.75 inches.
• Thursday Night: 42°F, Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 42. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 11 to 17 mph, gusts up to 26 mph. 100% chance of precipitation, with new rainfall between 0.25 and 0.5 inches.
• Friday: 54°F, Showers likely, mainly before 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. South southeast wind 6 to 10 mph. 70% chance of precipitation.
• Friday Night: 40°F, Mostly clear, low around 40. North northeast wind 6 to 8 mph.
• Saturday: 57°F, Sunny, high near 57.
• Saturday Night: 41°F, Mostly clear, low around 41.
• Sunday: 57°F, Sunny, high near 57.
• Sunday Night: 43°F, Mostly clear, low around 43.
• Monday: 55°F, Mostly sunny, high near 55.
• Monday Night: 45°F, A slight chance of rain, low around 45.
• Tuesday: 55°F, A chance of rain, high near 55.
• Tuesday Night: 43°F, A chance of rain, low around 43.
• Wednesday: 51°F, Rain likely, high near 51. Breezy.

This detailed forecast includes descriptions of wind speeds, precipitation amounts, and temperature trends, helping you prepare for the day ahead.

GPS Support Coming Soon

While the system currently supports a variety of location formats, GPS support is on the way, which will further enhance its usefulness, especially for those in remote areas where internet connectivity may be limited.

Conclusion

The Winlink Weather Forecast by NA7Q is an excellent tool for obtaining timely weather information, especially for ham radio operators, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone in need of reliable weather updates. Whether you need a quick forecast or a more detailed outlook, Winlink offers a simple, effective solution. With GPS support coming soon, it will only get more versatile, making it a great resource for anyone who needs weather updates via email, no matter where they are.

For more details, visit the official Winlink Weather Forecast page.