Still Local — just scaled up

I’ve had a bit of feedback that Wally’s Weather looks more about the whole nation these days and less about Townsville. Fair call — it can look that way at first glance. But here’s the simple truth:

Townsville (and North Queensland) is still the heart of it.

I live here, I’m connected here, and I write with this community in mind. I’ve just built better tools so I can replicate the same local service anywhere in Australia without spending all day copying and pasting data.

What’s changed (and why it helps Townsville)

• Daily Edition is now live and location-aware. Type your town and you’ll get current conditions and forecasts on the spot — no manual updates needed.

• Less time formatting, more time “looking out the window.” Automation frees me to add real-world, local context — not just numbers.

• Visual, clearer and quicker. We’ve moved from long text posts to easy charts and maps you can scan in seconds.

• Nationwide view when it matters. Seeing the bigger picture helps explain what’s heading our way in the wet season.

What hasn’t changed

• My focus is North Queensland, especially Townsville.

• Daily commitment: ~30 minutes each morning and at least an hour each night on forecasts — plus weekends spent improving the software so you get better local info.

• Skin in the game: I pay for pro data subscriptions so you don’t have to.

• Accountability: Monthly and long-range outlooks now have measurable checks so we can see how they perform over time and keep improving.

Local education — made for Townsville

Education is a big part of what I do, and it’s very much local:

• Dam Filler — our Townsville-focused game that explains how our dams fill, how bursts of monsoon rain work, and why trade winds, ridges and troughs matter here. It’s fun, hands-on and teaches the real patterns we live with.

Dam Filler board game

• Short explainers, school chats, and simple visuals that break down what’s happening right now in our backyard — and what it means for your day.

What you get now (in plain English)

• Local first, national when useful. Your suburb and nearby spots are front and centre — with national context when a front, trough or cyclone line matters.

• Faster updates. Live feeds replace manual data entry, so I can post timely notes when weather shifts.

• Clearer decisions. The Daily Edition shows today, hourly, and 4-day at a glance — great for school runs, sport, boating and weekend plans.

Loyal to locals, helpful to others

Queenslanders — especially in the north — want a local voice who understands the seasons and the people. That’s still me. The new tools just mean I can also jump in and help other communities when they’re doing it tough, using the same experience and contacts.

Sponsors keep this free

Sponsors back the work so everyone can use it. In return, I give them proper visibility — without getting in your way. It’s local supporting local.

How to use it

1. Open the Daily Edition.

2. Type your location.

3. Check current conditions, hourly, and 4-day.

   
   

Bottom line: I haven’t stepped away from Townsville — I’ve stepped up the tech so Townsville (and all of NQ) gets better, faster, clearer weather info, plus local education like

Dam Filler. Same loyalty, bigger toolkit.

PS: The images above show the shift — from the older, text-heavy posts to today’s visual, location-aware dashboard. Big thanks to everyone who’s stuck with me and to the sponsors who help make it possible.