Weather Interest

[LadyS]

I like to look at the weather but I really dislike weather small talk. It's very common in the UK. Every office I've been to, people will talk about the weather.

Apparently the cold and the rain are bad - I disagree wholeheartedly.

It's not even cold, but yesterday my parents spent the whole of dinner complaining about how cold it was. I ate dinner fast and left asap.

Ed

Isn't it always cold and rainy there? . I used to go there every year and that's all I ever got. Except the summer of 2018. That was a scorcher. When my inlaws come visit, they love the 40+ C TX heat which I'd gladly trade.

You also reminded me of a quote I saw yesterday:

 

[LadyS]

I love maps. I love looking at them. Give me a map any map. I would like a wall covered with different maps if I had the space.
Now that I live in a valley instead of the hills I am more interested in the weather rather than just if it affects what I want to get done on any given day. I can see farther and watch the clouds.

That reminds me of my brother's room growing up. While other kids had posters, he had maps all over his walls. And wall to wall almanacs.

 

[Judge]

Obsessed? Nope. Though I did take meteorology in college. A requirement at the time to minor in geography.

A tough course, but I enjoyed it. Living in Nevada is good reason to be more attentive to more sophisticated weather forecasts compared to the Bay Area. Where a lot of things can change quite rapidly in comparison.

Wind direction counts for a lot these days. Where the wind can reverse itself and make you feel like you smoked six packs of cigarettes given major forest fires in California.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I wouldn't say meteorology is a "special interest" per se, but I would say that when I check the weather, it is with a bit more detail than most. I see some lovely photos on here,...I've quite a few myself. I love going out on the porch and watching a storm come in, how the clouds are moving, updrafts and downdrafts, how the sun catches the clouds, sunrises and sunsets,...how ice crystals form and how the sun catches the snow coming down,....

OK,...never mind,...I've got the "bug" too.

 

[LadyS]

I wouldn't say meteorology is a "special interest" per se, but I would say that when I check the weather, it is with a bit more detail than most. I see some lovely photos on here,...I've quite a few myself. I love going out on the porch and watching a storm come in, how the clouds are moving, updrafts and downdrafts, how the sun catches the clouds, sunrises and sunsets,...how ice crystals form and how the sun catches the snow coming down,....

OK,...never mind,...I've got the "bug" too.

One developing right now...

 

[Sherlock77]

More weather watching via the camera, I love winter landscape, especially with urban or industrial themes, often going out in cold weather or heavy snow... I've been told by a few people (including my fellow photographers) that they think I'm crazy! Maybe in a good way... Don't even ask me how cold some of these days were (all photos from this past winter), is that weather watching in a sense?

 

[LadyS]

More weather watching via the camera, I love winter landscape, especially with urban or industrial themes, often going out in cold weather or heavy snow... I've been told by a few people (including my fellow photographers) that they think I'm crazy! Maybe in a good way... Don't even ask me how cold some of these days were (all photos from this past winter), is that weather watching in a sense?

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Nice shots, thanks for sharing. Don't get much call for snow here.

 

[Sherlock77]

Nice shots, thanks for sharing. Don't get much call for snow here.

Winter (ie. snow) might be my favourite season to photograph

 

[Suzette]

I envy anyone who can see cloud formations now. I am in the Coloado rockies at the moment. The sky should be a constantly changing canvas of light and shadow. But wildfires have obliterated the blue and caused such dense smoke one can't even make out clouds.

 

[Judge]

This certainly caught my attention a few years ago.

 

[LadyS]

During early pandemic/lockdown

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

How solar cycles cause geomagnetic storms and affect global weather patterns is my autistic special interest.

 

[Flown]

So my aspie brother developed an obsessive interest in the weather when he was just a kid. As a young teen, he used to watch the weather channel 24/7, and even tracked hurricanes and storms during his spare time. Other people, especially the family, used to make fun of him for it. They would joke that anytime they needed a weather report, they could just call him. He wanted to become a meteorologist but was never great at school and eventually didn't make it. He was also obsessed with maps and geography. He memorized routes and basically was a human GPS.

I used to be a bit embarrassed for him because I didn't know anyone else his age with such an intense interest in the weather. Later on, I guess after high school, I started to become increasingly aware of the weather as well which has remained to this day. I constantly check the forecast several times a day and love storms and watching them unfold live or on TV. When it comes to small talk, it's usually the only topic I can come up with. I've also been keen on geography as well, and was probably my best subject in school.

A few years ago, when I started researching Asperger's and autism, the very first article I read mentioned the obsessive interest trait and listed obsessions in arbitrary things like weather and maps as examples. Thought this was a strange coincidence but made me wonder, is it a common interest among aspies?

Anyone else here weather obsessed?

I definitely have a strong interest in weather patterns (as does my autistic nephew). I'm constantly watching the radar maps and weather patterns. I grew up in the SE United States (and also lived there much of my life), so severe and tornadic weather was something I was always worried about. It just grew into an obsession from there.

 

[Au Naturel]

I think meteorology is one of the more common autistic special interests. I was interested in it from first grade.

 

[Flown]

I think meteorology is one of the more common autistic special interests. I was interested in it from first grade.

Agreed. I personally know of 3 other autistics besides myself with this obsession/SPIN. Note: I don't know many people, so this is from a small sample size!

 

[maycontainthunder]

I like a good thunderstorm. The problem is that I am on a high spot so they always go around!

I found this UK weather site; Netweather which also has 7 Day Local Weather Forecast | Netweather plus weather radar and a lightning detector. It tends to change rather often and sometimes the forecast is wrong. On one occasion it was displaying a 95% chance of a storm. Outside there was only scattered cloud and the sun was out!