How do I combine the weather forecast with soil moisture to make better decisions?

Always combine the forecast with what your soil and crop actually show, because the forecast tells you what is coming while the soil tells you the current need, and good decisions use both. A simple way to check soil moisture by hand is to take soil from the root zone and squeeze it. If it forms a ball that holds together, there is good moisture. If it crumbles and feels dry, it needs water. Combine this with the forecast. If the soil is dry and no rain is forecast, irrigate. If the soil is dry but reliable rain is coming soon, wait. If the soil is moist, delay irrigation even if no rain is forecast. For sowing, the forecast picks the safe window and the soil moisture confirms the seed will germinate. This forecast plus field check approach avoids both over irrigating before rain and under watering before a dry spell. The Meghdoot advisory often combines both for you, but checking your own field by hand makes the decision local and reliable.