Weather Apps Help Outdoor Enthusiasts Pick Vacation Spots

For outdoor lovers, a few days of bad weather can ruin fun activities. Although the trip might not be entirely a bust, running into bad weather while on vacation can feel disappointing. Fortunately there’s an app for that. These weather apps help travelers know what to expect and when. Check them out.

Top 2013 Weather Apps for Popular Outdoor Activities

Hundreds of apps forecast daily weather conditions that affect outdoor pursuits, such as skiing, surfing, golf, fishing, hiking and motor sports. Zeroing in on what scientists call microclimates, sport-specific apps can tell skiers which Colorado slopes have the best powder, which Maui beaches should expect major surf, which U.S. golf courses will enjoy sunny skies with only a light breeze and more.

Winter weather apps

These weather apps have also become a useful vacation planning tool. While they can’t tame Mother Nature, they can help outdoor enthusiasts choose the destination most likely to offer the best weather for their favorite sports.

For example if planning a ski vacation, OpenSnow.com allows users to check powder conditions in top ski resorts, including Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen, Copper Mountain and Park City. The app helps skiers and snowboarders find the most fresh powder, so they can plan their perfect ski vacation. Another popular app for skiers and snowboarders is SnowForecast.com. This option tracks 3,000 resorts around the world.

Warm-weather apps

GolfWeatherNow.com and LatestGolfWeather.com offer the same vacation-planning advantage to golfers. If a storm moves through the Florida Panhandle, consider other top golf destinations. Popular places like Myrtle Beach, Palm Desert, Ocean City and Scottsdale have dozens of courses and sun-filled skies.

Before booking vacation rentals on the West Coast or in Hawaii, surfers can compare the wave action in Maui and Malibu on apps by Solspot.com, SurfLine.com or BeachLive.com. Each offer forecast updates, surf reports, tide conditions and other important factors that impact surfers.

Enjoy our picks for the 2013 weather apps? Read more expert travel tips for a successful trip.