The Woodford Weather Survival Guide

When six days straight are expected to be spent in a tent, under a tarp or otherwise extremely exposed and vulnerable to the elements, the famous weather report tends to dictate behaviour. This time around, it dictates raincoats, umbrellas and a second towel shoved into the floor of the swag as thunderstorms are forecasted for the first few days.

Prepare for the worst of the wet early on before the rise of the heat to relatively mild but humid conditions by New Year's Eve. You'll be setting up your tents on the 26th to thunderstorms, with a high of 26. The rain will decrease in intensity, becoming intermittent by the 30th with temperatures remaining largely the same. After this, expect a slight warming sensation as the weather peaks at 29.

With the weather in mind, be sure to alter the contents of your rucksack to include the following weather vital items that you might be forgetting:

- A spade: to dig a drainage tent around the elevated face of your tent. While organisers have claimed to have markedly improved drainage at the festival, prepare for the worst and try to fit something in for diggin.

- Raincoat: I know I sound like mum here, but if you've got one, bring it along. It beats the hell out of a thin, plastic poncho and despite how cool it feels, cutting holes in a garbage bag doesn't quite cut it.

- A bucket or similarly effective scooping device: the sturdy family tent or flimsy cheap one are never quite as waterproof as they seem. If you're not planning to organise a pool party in the corner of your tent, it's handy to have something to scoop out the potential flood. The alternative is stabbing drainage holes in the floor and its been said that this isn't as good an idea as it sounds.

- A tarp: or at least something that can extend the confines of your tent. With heavy storms ready to settle in and target you individually, huddling up in that three man tent until it clears can be frustrating, claustrophobic and a little too close for comfort.

- A spare garbage bag: When your clothes get wet, they have a habit of being drunkenly flung on the dry ones you were setting aside for a rainy day. A garbage bag helps keep these separated, keeping dry clothes dry and slowly urging wet clothes to become mouldy (don't forget to air and dry them for that brief period that sun peeks through the clouds.)

- Boots: of the gum variety or otherwise. Gum boots are excellent for the wet, but also hideously uncomfortable. Nothing beats a pair of Blundstone's, but we're not the type of people to advertise booting companies.

So with that said, we wish all of you who are making the journey to Woodford safe travels and a great festival experience. Stay dry, stay cool and Happy Woodford.