Tracking the Weather
 

I am going to Belgium, spending 2 days in Vienna so I can do one day on the Danube visiting Melk Abbey, Durnstein and Krems before spending the day in Bratislava and ending up in Budpaest.

I am tracking the weather for Vienna in particular since if it is rainy on the day of my trip on the Danube, consensus seems to be to cancel that trip, which I am OK with as there is lots to see in Vienna. So I printed out a 10 day forecast for Brussels, Vienna and Budapest and on each particular day writing down what the temp actually was. This way right before I leave can have a little better sense if the forecast is accurate, somewhat accurate, not where near accurate.

Question: After a weeks of monitoring wondering why Brussels is about 20 degrees cooler than both Vienna and Budapest? I only bring one carryon, so 20 degrees difference is a great difference in what to pack.

Thoughts?

"...20 degrees difference is a great difference in what to pack."

It shouldn't make much difference if you realize that instead of bringing bulkier items for warmth, you just put on more of the same clothes you've packed in layers. Keep it in mind as you compose your packing list.

For instance, I'll be going to a cool place and a warmer place in November. My outerwear will consist of the same items I always bring on a trip with a variety of climates, a light jacket, a light fleece jacket and a raincoat. None of them are heavy but 2 together is very warm. And also useful alone for less cold. Add underwear, hat, scarf, gloves and short of the dead of a northern winter I'm quite toasty. And none takes up much space packed.

What month do you plan to travel?

End of September, beginning of October. Live in Texas so LOVE cooler weather, even 80 would be delightful there.

Forecasts beyond a range of maybe 2-3 days are NEVER accurate in these parts of the world. So this effort is wasted and useless.

Pack for all eventualities, take clothes that can be combined, worn in layers, put on or peeled off according to current conditions, and a travel pack of washing detergent. And ignore all long-term forecasts.

The time of year you are traveling would be helpful, though if you are watching weather reports I might guess you are traveling soon.

Weather forecasting is terribly inaccurate in these parts. Yesterday we planned a hike in the Hochschwab (a range to the south of Vienna) for today. At the time the forecast read, "Partly Cloudy, 0% chance of precipitation." We awoke this morning to a forecast of "Light Rain becoming steady rain, 80% chance of precipitation." We scrapped our hike.

At the present temperatures in Vienna are in the high 20℃/low 30℃ range. Only 60% of the city's public transportation offers AC (and half of that is laughable), so you will need to prepare for the incubator-like public transit conditions. Within the Inner Stadt you will find something resembling climate-controlled air in the tourist areas, though do not hold out for complete cooling in restaurants and shops.

As has been suggested, layering is your friend. That, and a good Veltliner whilst in Vienna. :)

20 degrees Fahrenheit is only about 6 Celsius, which is negligible in terms of clothing to bring.

Even 20C difference just means a warm fleece extra at that time of year.

Ten day forecasts are hopeless for anywhere that has weather and seasons. Even a three day forecast can be dramatically wrong.

Thanks all for the input. Wardrobe already planned and bought powdered detergent this morning as a couple of my apts have a washer.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...mment-10057727
****bought powdered detergent****
So you should because we over on this side of the pond do not have such things.
Seriously..... Why waste carry -on luggage weight and space with this?

A 10-day forecast is useless for Belgium. More than 3 days is unreliable.
Use www.buienradar.be to see if there are going to be particularly bad rain showers on the day, or the next day. This is the best resource for short-term weather forecasts.

Nobody can tell if it will rain 10 days from now, nor what the temperature will be like.

Question: After a weeks of monitoring wondering why Brussels is about 20 degrees cooler than both Vienna and Budapest?

Brussels has a maritime climate with mild winters and mild (i.e. coolish) summers.
Vienna and Budapest have more of a continental climate with colder winters and hotter summers.
So when Brussels gets a cooler summer and Vienna a hotter than usual summer, the gap can be up to 20C without being an extraordinary anomaly.
Averages and mid- to long-term forecasts are useless in Europe as the weather can be more volatile than, I think, in many parts of the US.

"Wardrobe already planned and bought powdered detergent this morning as a couple of my apts have a washer."

And...do those apartments offer a dryer? Or will you be hanging your laundry on the drying racks?

Un short we Belgians are strong and adapt. Variations of 10 c over 2-3 days are quite frequent.
I looked up the weather in Waterloo where I live and we go from 20c to 26 then back to 21 over the next week.
Perfectly normal.
We even have 3 days of sun forecasted which is unusual.

Weather reports in Europe can't be guaranteed 2 days in advance, never mind a week. And just so you know, we actually have washing powder here.

We also have doctors who can diagnose and treat OCD.

Doctors who diagnose OCD actually send their patients on this forum. ;-)

I understand bringing your own detergent; my skin reacts unfavorably to some laundry detergents, and tossing a couple of detergent cakes of my preferred soap hardly takes up space.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...mment-10058235

So are you saying that you cannot sleep in beds which are washed in other detergents too? can you not use towels that are washed the same way? I bet we "Europeans" still would have something to suit your skin.

ribeirasacra, when we moved to Europe (where we now live) I found products that do not irritate my skin, so yes, "Europeans" have products to suit me.

But to answer your questions. Nightclothes that have been laundered to my preference offer a layer of "protection" when we travel. If we are staying in an apartment, a cake or two of preferred laundry detergent takes less space in my bag than this discussion really warrants. Whatever is the harm in wanting one's clothes laundered to their preference?

And yes, once or twice the detergent used in hotels towels and robes has irritated my skin.

Really surprised by some of the snarky remarks, whereas cowboy1968 was the answer that explained the temp difference. Thanks cowboy!

detergent: so I have an apt, it has a washer, then I have to run out and buy, at a minimum I would think a 2 lb package of detergent for probably 3/4cup for the 2 times I will use the washer! Yeah, I think I'd rather bring it than worry about trying to find a grocery store. Yeh, I could do all of the above and leave the remainder.

StCirq: have followed your answers for years and valued them alot, not so much your OCD comment to me.

Thanks all for responding. I'm outta here!

Have fun.
Un Bruxelles i recommend Vincent close to the grand-place but non touristy.
Try the waterzooi a specialty from Gent.

Just in case you do need "drugstore stuff" in Vienna and Budapest:
The local drugstore chains are Rossmann, dm and Müller - and the best place to look for anything in travel sizes. Some will have also detergent in travel sizes, but I would not bet my life on it.
OTOH, a regular sized bottle of store brand detergent costs around €2.50 - so even if you forget stuff, it won't be costly to buy it.

In both cities you will find many, many grocery chains stores - probably in 5 minutes or less from your apartments. No problem to find them with Google maps. Grocery stores are usually not large in downtown locations and have only a limited range of drugstore goods.


Keep in mind that in Austria, stores are closed on sundays. Also grocery stores (with two exceptions) and there are hardly any convenience stores for "emergency shopping".
Budapest is more relaxed - grocery stores usually open for some hours on sundays and many tiny convenience stores are open 24/7 or till late in case you need beverages, snacks etc.