Making the most of weather data and forecasts in landscape maintenance

Landscape maintenance professionals' livelihoods are more beholden to the weather than most – when you're working in nature, you have to abide by its rules.

As seasons shift and weather becomes increasingly unpredictable due to climate change, those rules we have long taken for granted are starting to change. Spring doesn't necessarily start in March in Europe, summer can bring highs of over 40°C – even in the north – and the start of winter is difficult to pinpoint.

Landscape maintenance businesses are having to adapt to shifting weather patterns and the extreme weather impacting Europe with alarming regularity. Any advantage you can take, any way you can plan ahead and protect your business must be taken – understanding how best to use weather data can help you mitigate the effects of global weather changes on your work.

How can using weather data benefit your business?

In the outdoor world of landscape maintenance, staying ahead of the weather is crucial for success.

By using weather data to your full advantage, you can improve the efficiency of your business, leading to better resource management, and cost savings. You'll be able to prepare and adapt to the increasing unpredictability brought about by climate change, making sure your business will thrive for years to come.

What are the different types of weather data?

The usefulness of weather data isn't limited to checking the forecast to see if it will rain over the next few days; you can look at data which helps predict longer-term weather patterns that could impact your work.

You don't need to be a meteorologist to take advantage of the weather data available to you. We'll help you understand how best to use weather data, making it a more accessible tool for your business planning.

Short-term weather data

As the name suggests, weather forecasts that cover the next few hours to three days ahead are considered to be short-term forecasts. Short-term forecasts can:

• Give you a snapshot of current conditions, providing real-time data on temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation to help you make immediate decisions for daily tasks.
• Provide the most accurate weather predictions available to us. They can help you plan your week and take immediate protective measures against adverse weather conditions like storms or frost.

Medium-term weather data

Officially, medium-term forecasts look between three to ten days ahead, and typically use data from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Medium-term forecast data can be useful for:

• Planning larger projects and maintenance schedules. For example, knowing the likelihood of extended dry spells can guide irrigation plans and drought preparations.
• Anticipating severe weather. Medium-term forecasts have a good track record of accurately predicting severe weather conditions.

Extended-term weather data

Any forecast beyond this is considered to be long range. They're far less accurate or detailed than a short-term forecast, but can provide a useful indicator of what to expect.

Extended-term weather data is useful for:

• Providing predictions for the upcoming season, which can help with more strategic planning, like preparing for extreme hot weather i.e. choosing drought-resistant grass seed.
• The unpredictability of these longer-term forecasts is influenced by the chaotic nature of the atmosphere; a relatively small event over the Atlantic can develop into something major over the course of several days when it arrives in Europe.

Real-time vs historical weather data

Most weather forecasts that you would come into contact with day-to-day use real-time data, but for predicting changes in season and weather over a longer period, such as extreme heat becoming the norm, not an outlier, historical weather data is very useful.

Historical weather data is useful for:

• Noticing and understanding climate patterns. If four of the last five years have seen an unusually hot summer, it's no longer unusual – it's now a norm you must prepare for. Similarly, if spring starts earlier or the winter frost later over several years, you should adjust your schedule for the year.
• Predicting extreme weather events. Again, patterns over the course of several years can be an indicator of when to expect extreme weather such as heatwaves, droughts, and floods, so you can prepare in advance.

If you don't want to analyse data sets, you can make a note each year of significant weather and climate activity, and the start of each season yourself – or, if your memory is up to the task, cast your mind back to the past five years – and notice patterns that are becoming regular, and adjust your work schedule accordingly.

Local and global weather data

You can also distinguish between local and global weather data. As you would expect, local is specific to your location, city or country, while the latter takes a world view. Global forecast data can still be useful to landscapers; global weather phases such as El Niño and La Niña can have a significant impact on landscapers in Europe.

Data sets landscapers should closely monitor

Within meteorological data sets, there are a few specific areas landscapers should turn their focus:

• Precipitation data – useful for scheduling day-to-day activity, as well as irrigation planning and drought management.
• Relative humidity – this influences plant transpiration rates and disease susceptibility; if there are high levels of moisture in the air, pest and fungal issues may arise.
• Snowfall and freeze alerts – giving you time to prepare your clients' lawns for frost and snow.
• Wind direction and speed – you may decide against spreading fertiliser, planting or any cutting that requires a ladder if wind speeds are predicted to be high.
• UV index – for your own protection rather than the grass, keeping an eye on the UV index, even on cloudy days, can help you protect yourself from sun damage.

How to use weather forecasts and current weather data effectively

You don't need huge amounts of technical expertise to understand weather and climate data at a basic level. There are plenty of websites and apps that present the data in a user-friendly format, and most weather stations focus on familiar parameters, such as temperature and rainfall.

For real-time forecasts, choose a reliable source, like the Met Office in the UK, Météo-France, Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) or Servizio Meteorologico dell'Aeronautica Militare, depending on your location. You can almost always find all the information you require on the website, and most will have an app to make access even easier. These services are most useful for current weather data, helping you to plan for the short to mid-term.

For longer-term weather and seasonal shifts, historical weather data is often required. These data sets can also be found online, with several sources available, and can give you insight into emerging weather patterns.

As mentioned earlier, however, your own observations over the past few years – particularly if you made notes recording them – may indicate patterns without needing to access historical weather data at all.

If you're still wondering how you can apply weather and climate data practically for your landscape maintenance work, read our checklist below.

Day-to-day use

Short-term forecasts and real-time data

You'll likely be using real-time data in your day-to-day already, but just as a reminder of the benefits of doing so, these are a handful of ways it can help your business:

• Task scheduling – current weather data helps you organise your daily tasks, planning the days ahead.
• Improving safety – you can avoid extreme weather conditions, such as high winds or heatwaves, or ensure you're adequately prepared.
• Irrigation management – you can adjust irrigation schedules based on upcoming rainfall predictions to avoid overwatering or underwatering. Smart irrigation systems that incorporate weather forecasts can automate this process.
• Frost protection – advance warning gives you the chance to cover sensitive plants or delay planting until the risk of frost has passed.

Weekly and monthly planning

Though less accurate, you can still use forecasts and adapt to weather and climate changes for mid-term planning, for tasks such as:

• Anticipating pest and disease control – you can plan disease control measures around weather conditions that favour them. For example, high humidity might necessitate increased vigilance for fungal diseases.
• Fertilising, top dressing, aeration etc. – you can schedule more infrequent tasks for when you're due moderate weather.
• Planning major projects – if you know you're due a month of turbulent weather, it may reduce your capacity to take on new clients and major projects.
• Resource allocation – you can assess the needs of your business, and gather stock or plan schedules accordingly, based on the anticipated weather patterns for the season.

To keep your clients happy, you should always keep them informed about how weather conditions are impacting their landscapes, as well as any adjustments to the maintenance schedule. This helps build trust and transparency. Weather can introduce challenges that even the most skilled landscaper would struggle to overcome!

Using historical weather data to plan your season

You can look at a range of meteorological data to inform your business plan, but historical weather data helps you understand the permanent shifts in weather patterns.

These are a few ways you can use the data to your best advantage:

• Grass seed and plant selection – you can adapt to long-term climate trends and choose grass and plant species suited to the expected conditions. For example, drought-tolerant grass seed in anticipation of a dry summer.
• Maintenance schedules – it can help you develop an annual maintenance schedule, planning for dips in work due to poor weather or when you'll need to invest more time.
• Seasonal transitions – you can prepare for the new timings of seasonal transitions, scheduling tasks like aeration, overseeding, and mulching.

Forecasting the right tools for the job

You might have a better idea of what to expect from the weather, but do you know what you can expect from your tools?

Leave unpredictability to the skies, and invest in equipment that can handle the changing conditions of a busy landscaping professional's schedule. Equipment Powered by Kawasaki is trusted to perform at the highest level, whatever the weather (though we'd advise waiting until the storm blows over!).