What you need to know
Forecasts are really only relevant for open water sailing. The best part of a forecast on a pond with trees is to see if it is going to rain.
The details
A forecast is pretty irrelevant for model yachting on a pond surrounded by trees. The forecast could be for 25 knots of breeze but the pond may only experience 15 knots maximum in the gusts. Far better to come down to the lake early and observe what is going on and maybe get your boat out on the water to test the conditions and even have a cheeky bit of practice. It is useful to know if the wind is going to swing during the day e.g. during the passage of a front. You may be able to spot a change in the wind patterns on the pond when the swing begins. A forecast of rain or thunder will be relevant to determine appropriate clothing.
A forecast for sailing a model yacht on open water, eg West Kirby, Lincoln, Fleetwood, or on the sea, is much more relevant. The forecast wind speed and direction become true and you can almost choose your rig on the back of it and any changes during the day can be predicted or at least observed and responded to accordingly. A cheap anemometer may also help if conditions are border line between rigs (see Amazon). Of course you will have collected relevant data before hand so you can select the right rig according to wind speed.
There are many weather apps out there, Windy, Wind Guru, Weather Pro, Met Office. Personally, I find Windy very useful but best to ask what the locals use as their app should be most relevant to your location.
In summary
Knowledge of the wind forecast is relevant on open water but on a pond, observation and testing is the only way to determine conditions.
Links
Anemometer Read the top positive review for a curious use of an anemometer.
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