Accurate Weather Forecasting for Music Festival Organisers.

Large outdoor music festivals are vulnerable to changeable weather, and it can potentially cause to the most disruption to an event’s operations. With great preparation and contingency planning organisers can be ready for most eventualities. Accurate weather forecasting and monitoring is an essential part of being prepared but how do organisers get this data.

The impact of adverse weather can impact a music festival site in different ways from safety issues to on-site operational logistics. With great contingency planning combined with accurate weather forecasts festival organisers can act fast to prepare a site for incoming weather and implement plans to handle expected conditions. There are numerous resources available to obtain accurate data so what do organisers need to consider? 

Standard Services. 
Any generic search online can provide a plethora of free to use weather forecast services with some being accurate and others less so. The amount of detail and radar information can be limited resulting in the provision of vague data without being particularly accurate. Most of these services are only updated infrequently meaning that real time forecasting is not possible. These widely available free weather forecasting tools could be great for longer term forecasts for one or two weeks prior to an event and give a general overview of the expected weather particularly for likely temperature range and the likelihood of precipitation. In some instances, organisers may be able to partner with local TV and Radio media companies to obtain their weather data as they probably have full time meteorologists and will certainly have access to professional weather forecasting services. 

Professional Dedicated Services. 
To get real time accurate data organisers will have to invest in a professional weather forecasting service with prices varying between $50 USD and $500 USD for a weekend event. The data obtained can focus on a specific location and is updated in real time indicating the movement of weather systems. The accuracy can be at a high-level informing organisers of the expected arrival time of rain and wind for example on a festival site. These professional services can typically be provided by companies like  MeteoGroup, DTN WeatherOps, and AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions. Alternative options could be the employment of a professional meteorologist contractor to be based on the festival site. They use real time data applications which can be combined with local data obtained from a temporary weather station installed on the festival site. 

Actionable Data. 
Assuming that organisers have arranged for real time accurate weather forecasting data it is essential that appropriate actions are taken as a result of obtaining this information. If incoming rain and wind is expected organisers can deploy staff to erect weather protection around sensitive equipment and prepare temporary structures for potential adverse weather. Organisers should also inform all staff, artists, vendors and festival-goers of any expected adverse weather so they can take action as necessary. Any actions should be in line with contingency plans that already exist with known processes and procedures. 

Communication. 
The appropriate communication about incoming weather systems should be automated with announcements and alerts made on the festival app along with public announcements. Staff runners can inform vendors and ensure that all on-site staff and volunteers are aware and know what actions they need to take to ensure ongoing site safety and operational continuance. If conditions are expected to be dangerous organisers should be prepared to delay performances or close certain site zones for example. 

For festival organisers planning their events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by RitaE via Pixabay

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