The short version
GoodDayTo checks the full outdoor-workout block for rain, apparent temperature, UV, wind, gusts, severe weather and darkness. The first answer stays simple: GO, WAIT or NOT TODAY, a usable time window and one memorable line. Open the supporting details only when you want the measurements and trade-offs.
What counts as an outdoor workout here?
This tool is intended for a general training session in a park, garden, outdoor gym or other suitable open space. That includes bodyweight circuits, calisthenics, resistance-band work, mobility drills, moderate strength training and mixed sessions. It is deliberately separate from Running, which models sustained aerobic effort, and from Outdoor Yoga, where lighter wind matters more for balance and mat comfort.
The model does not know how hard you intend to train. A shaded mobility session, a beginner circuit and repeated high-intensity intervals can feel radically different in the same forecast. Treat the result as a weather-planning layer, then adjust the activity to your health, conditioning and the actual site.
How the outdoor-workout score works
The base score prefers mild apparent temperatures, little rain, manageable wind and lower UV. GoodDayTo then applies firm caps to the complete selected session. A caution threshold prevents a false GO; a stronger threshold forces the result into NOT TODAY. Thunderstorms and the site-wide severe-weather rules remain stricter than the ordinary workout thresholds.
Rain across the whole session
Workout rain is treated differently from rain for wheels, paint or an exposed ceremony. A few drops may be manageable for standing exercises, but wet bars, grass, mats and paved surfaces can make floor work or equipment use impractical. Across the selected block, 0.1 mm total rain or a 40% hourly rain probability caps the result at WAIT. 0.5 mm total rain or a 70% hourly probability caps it at NOT TODAY. These are planning guardrails, not claims about the actual surface: earlier rain, irrigation and poor drainage can leave a site wet after the sky clears.
Heat, cold and exertion
The model uses apparent temperature because wind and humidity can change how the air feels. At 28°C apparent temperature, an ordinary outdoor workout cannot receive GO; at 33°C, it becomes NOT TODAY. At the other end, 2°C or colder prevents GO and −5°C or colder produces NOT TODAY. These thresholds are conservative product rules, not universal medical cut-offs. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that people exercising on hot days are more likely to become dehydrated and develop heat-related illness, and advises stopping activity if you feel faint or weak. See CDC Heat and Athletes guidance.
UV is not temperature
A mild-feeling hour can still have strong ultraviolet exposure. The score therefore checks the maximum UV Index separately: UV 8 prevents GO and UV 11 produces NOT TODAY for an ordinary exposed workout. Shade, clothing, timing and sun protection can materially change a real plan, but the forecast cannot see them. The US Environmental Protection Agency classifies UV 8–10 as very high and 11+ as extreme, with protection needed; see the EPA UV Index scale.
Wind, loose kit and controlled movement
Moderate wind can be welcome during exercise, so this tool is less wind-sensitive than Drone Flying or Outdoor Yoga. However, gusts can move mats, catch resistance bands, topple light kit and make controlled repetitions awkward. Sustained wind of 24 km/h or gusts of 38 km/h prevent GO. Sustained wind of 32 km/h or gusts of 48 km/h produce NOT TODAY. Local shelter can help, but GoodDayTo uses the open-air forecast because it cannot map wind around individual walls and trees.
Lightning and darkness
A thunderstorm signal overrides otherwise pleasant conditions. If you hear thunder, go indoors rather than finishing a set under a tree or open shelter. The US National Weather Service advises waiting at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before resuming outdoor activity; see its lightning guidance for outdoor sports. Workouts after dark are not automatically impossible, but the score is capped because GoodDayTo cannot confirm lighting, opening hours, trip hazards or personal security.
A practical final-hour example
Suppose the first two hours are mild and dry, but the third hour reaches a 70% rain probability with 0.5 mm forecast. A simple average could make the whole plan look acceptable. GoodDayTo does not do that: the complete-session rain rule caps the three-hour request at NOT TODAY. Changing to a one-hour workout can reveal a genuinely usable dry block, while keeping three hours means the wet final hour remains part of the decision.
Choose a duration that matches the real plan
The default is one hour because that fits many ordinary workouts. Choose three hours when the block includes walking or cycling to the site, setup, a group class, coaching or multiple sessions. Choose five hours only for a longer event or training day. The selected duration is never silently shortened: if GoodDayTo cannot find the complete continuous block, it should not pretend a smaller window answers the request.
What GO, WAIT and NOT TODAY mean
GO means the measured forecast looks favourable throughout the chosen block. WAIT means one or more caution thresholds applies or a materially better window is nearby. NOT TODAY means a strong weather limit or severe-weather rule applies. None of these labels assesses your health, fitness, hydration, medication, acclimatisation, air pollution or workout intensity. If you feel unwell, stop; the score is not a reason to continue.
Local Fit and honest limitations
Where mapping data is available, Local Fit may show an outdoor fitness station or park nearby. That is useful context, not a facility recommendation. Map data does not confirm opening hours, accessibility, crowding, lighting, maintenance, wet equipment, shade, toilets, drinking water or permission to train. Check the actual site before relying on bars, benches or other equipment.
The forecast also cannot see recent irrigation, puddles, ice, broken glass, damaged equipment or slippery leaves. It does not currently include live air-quality measurements, pollen, personal medical risk or local public-health alerts. GoodDayTo states those gaps rather than inventing a safety guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as the Running score?
No. Running has its own sustained-aerobic model. Outdoor Workout is for general park training, calisthenics, circuits, resistance-band work and bodyweight exercise.
Does the score check my whole outdoor workout?
Yes. Select one, three or five hours and GoodDayTo checks every forecast hour in that continuous block. A wet, very hot, very windy or dark final hour cannot be averaged away.
Why do heat and UV have separate limits?
Apparent temperature describes how hot the air feels, while the UV Index describes expected ultraviolet exposure. They are different measured risks, so the model checks both without pretending either one measures personal fitness or medical safety.
Which duration should I choose?
Use one hour for a normal workout, three hours when the plan includes travel, setup, a class or several sessions, and five hours only when the complete outdoor block really lasts that long.
Can I do an outdoor workout after dark?
Possibly, but GoodDayTo caps after-dark results because it cannot verify lighting, opening hours, surface hazards or personal security at the site.
Does GO mean exercise is medically safe for me?
No. GO only describes the forecast factors GoodDayTo measures. Health conditions, medication, hydration, fitness, acclimatisation, air quality and exercise intensity remain personal checks.
Can GoodDayTo find an outdoor gym?
Local Fit may show mapped outdoor fitness stations or parks nearby. It cannot confirm that equipment is maintained, dry, open, accessible or suitable for your workout.