I have ten open days in a lengthy trip to Italy, and would like to visit the Dolomites if the weather is decent. How accurate are the short- to mid-term weather forecasts (say, three days ahead) for October in this region? Here in the Pacific Northwest, weather is extremely hard to predict and I would say to visitors that they should plan for pouring rain in October even if the forecast says the weather will be good. I have lived in New England, however, and forecasts for that region were quite accurate. Does anyone know where Northern Italy falls on this spectrum? Thanks in advance.
Posted by
Firenze
500 posts
The problem with Dolomites is that weather changes locally. In my experience an open valley like Pusteria has on average better weather than a narrow valley like Fassa. If the sun shines, it shines on both. If it rains dogs and cats, it rains on both. If the weather is so-so, rain builds up earlier in some zones and later in other zones.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Mountain weather forecasts are difficult to make, and therefore relatively unreliable when compared to the reliability of forecasts for non-mountain areas. It's the nature of mountains.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15799 posts
I was on an Alpine tour in early June that went from Austria to France. I watched weather.com and accuweather.com at least twice a day. They were usually different, and often both were wrong for current weather as well as short-term forecasts.
Posted by
NYC area
3018 posts
Hi,
First, we have been to the Dolomites, the Austrian, Bavarian and Swiss alps anywhere from early to late October on six trips, so about 75 nights. I can count the number of rain out days on one hand. Probably the driest month in the alps or are we just that lucky? Don't know. Me, I'd plan on going to the Dolomites in October though. If you've lived in New England, I'd say the weather and temps are similar. Maybe just a little warmer though.
One thing about forecasts, before our late Sept./early Oct. trip to the Zillertal, Dolomites, Zell am See and Berchtesgaden, we checked the forecast the day we left NY for Munich and it was pretty much rain every single day of our trip everywhere we were staying. Result... it rained on and off our first day on the way from Munich airport to the Zillertal. Didn't see any rain again. Pretty nice weather the entire trip actually.
Paul
Posted by
Sarasota, Florida, USA
10 posts
Recommend that you download the app "MyCast" which covers the world. I have found it to be 90% accurate for every where in Europe and the States.