When to go, weather-wise

Like most people, my wife, Joan, and I prefer to travel during good weather, so before we decide when to go on any trip I look up the weather for our destination(s) in “Fodor’s World Weather Guide” by E.A. Pearce & C.G. Smith (Helicon Publishing. $17.95) or on the Internet, then I make a table like the one (on the next page).

Seldom does the table need to show more than a few months because either 1) the tour is only offered during certain months or 2) it’s pretty obvious from just looking at the weather data when the rainy season is or when it’s too hot or too cold.

When I complete the table, I print it out and highlight in pink any temperature over 89°; in blue any temperature under 50˚, and in green any rainfall over one inch per month. (Of course, the criteria for these markings will vary depending on where you are going.) Then it is easy to select the best month, weather-wise; I just pick the month with the fewest highlighted entries. (On the example chart, it is readily apparent that February or March is the best time to go.)

Of course, weather is not the only determining factor as to when to go on a certain trip. You may want to see a particular event or you can get away only at a certain time of the year or, for example, you may want to go to Africa when the wildlife viewing is the best, no matter what the weather might be.

In this last case, I want to recommend an excellent book, “Africa’s Top Wildlife Countries” by Mark W. Nolting, sixth edition (2002, Global Travel Publishers. $19.95.). This book has two very helpful charts: 1) “When is the best time to go?,” which rates 23 parks in nine countries, and 2) “What is best seen where?,” which rates the chances of seeing 12 different animals in 19 parks in seven countries.

FREDERIC A. FRECH

Tucson, AZ