Road Trip Weather Checklist: Before You Leave

1. Write down the trip you are actually taking

Start with the departure date, origin, destination and planned breaks. Add the road or corridor you intend to use, especially if navigation offers more than one option. A forecast for a nearby city is context, not confirmation of conditions on every part of the road.

• Departure date and local time.
• Intermediate places and approximate arrival times.
• Long breaks, an overnight stop and any fixed arrival deadline.
• An alternative departure you could realistically use.

2. Read the forecast at the relevant time

A daily symbol is a summary. If you expect to pass a place in the afternoon, inspect the forecast period covering that afternoon rather than the weather there at breakfast. The Met Office forecast guide explains how to change the location and read the valid time on its maps. Repeat the check for important intermediate places.

Met Office: how to read location forecasts and maps

3. Keep weather and road status separate

Use official warnings for the areas you will cross and the relevant road authority for closures or restrictions. A favourable forecast does not establish that a road is open. For England’s motorways and major A-roads, National Highways publishes incidents, travel alerts and planned closure information. Elsewhere, use the authority responsible for that road.

National Highways travel updates — England

4. Compare a departure you could actually choose

Keep the route and breaks the same when comparing departure times, so you can see what changing the start time does. Then account for practical constraints: accommodation, daylight, rest and arrival commitments. If official advice says not to travel, a better-looking app result is not a reason to disregard it.

5. Refresh the check before leaving

Recheck the forecast, warnings and road updates close to departure. If your route or schedule changes substantially, repeat the affected parts of the check. Make changes while parked, not while driving.

• Has the departure time changed?
• Do planned breaks still fit?
• Are official alerts or closures relevant to this corridor?
• Does the forecast you saved still describe this trip?

Put your next trip on the map

Download DriveWindow for iPhone or iPad, enter your route and departure date, and see forecast conditions along the journey. Compare available departure options to see how changing the start time changes the weather you may encounter. Use official alerts and road information for the separate check on warnings and closures.