Science and technology have made weather forecasts more accurate
and more quickly and widely available than ever before. This guide
from Towergate Insurance, specialist providers of Yacht Insurance, will help to ensure that you
aren’t missing out on the information that could save you from a
storm.
It’s a cliché, but things have come a long way since the BBC
Radio 4 shipping forecast was the best and most accessible weather
forecast for sailors. Modern technology has completely revitalised
how we receive and process weather data. In this new world, weather
forecasts range from simple but rapid text updates for mobile
phones, to pages and pages of customised reports.
One thing remains consistent though - however you finally access
a weather forecast, the original analysis and information still
comes from a meteorological centre. These places are formed into a
global network, used to exchange the raw weather data collected
from their own local observation stations. Each centre then runs
the collected worldwide data through their powerful computer
forecasting programs. The bigger the weather centre, the better
their computers and programs are likely to be, and the better the
quality of the forecast. Most of the ones you are likely to hear
about are part of a national civil service or government.
In the UK, the Met Office provides a national weather service,
while in the USA the equivalent is the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) aptly named National Weather
Service (NWS). These weather centres provide data and forecasts to
the public and, depending on the remit they have from government,
this might be a free service, or there could be a cost. At first
glance, the best forecast for any given area ought to come from the
local national weather centre, but those in small countries with
fewer resources may find themselves outperformed by the bigger
nations. I’d always advise you check a small local forecast against
what the NWS, the Met Office or any of the big European weather
centres have to say.
So much for where the weather forecast comes from – where’s the
best place to find it? The single most useful place to go for
weather information is undoubtedly the internet, and there are many
websites that cater to the needs of the sailor – these are a few of
the popular ones.
Weather Websites
UK Met Office - http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/
A well-designed website providing free access to the classic
inshore waters and shipping forecasts, along with a range of other
information, including surface pressure charts, rainfall radar and
satellite pictures for the technically-minded.
Wind Guru - http://www.windguru.cz/int/
This is a popular website providing clear, simple and free
access to wind and wave forecasts from the NWS or, for a reasonable
fee, providing swathes more information and forecasts from
different weather centres.
Magic Seaweed - http://magicseaweed.com /
Essentially a surfing website, but for coastal sailing it’s
still really useful because of the neat visual ways in which the
forecasts are presented.
GRIB.US - http://www.grib.us/
Definitely one for the more technically minded, but this is a
great website that will give you free access to GRIB files for
anywhere on the planet. If you don’t know what a GRIB file is, then
it’s all explained on the website...
NOAA – National Weather Service – http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/internet.htm
A fantastic resource, you’ll need a degree in meteorology to
exhaust all the possibilities here...
While the internet is undoubtedly the quickest and most
effective way of getting a weather forecast, it’s not always
available, especially once you get a few miles off the coast -
unless you can afford the cost and have the room for satellite
communications. But there are more traditional methods, and many of
them are still very good.
The Harbour Master
Ah yes, the friendly harbour master - or these days more often a
marina manager – obvious but sometimes overlooked. Most good
marinas and harbours post a decent daily weather forecast in the
window or on their notice board. It’s always worth stopping by the
office to check.
The Media
Local and national radio, television and newspapers all carry
weather forecasts of one type or another. Some of them are pretty
much useless, while others are specifically tailored to the sailor
– the classic example being BBC Radio 4’s shipping forecast, which
is still going strong:
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/marine/guide/radio.html
The traditional places to find the sources of possible media
forecasts in a new sailing area would be an almanac or cruising
guide.
Marine VHF
The trusty VHF radio is still extremely useful, especially once
you are at sea. International safety at sea is overseen by the
Global Marine Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), which assigns
Marine Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCC) to watch over national
waters in each country. The MRCC will often broadcast forecasts on
VHF from their own national weather centre. There are a few places
you can look for more information on the broadcast times and
channels. If you remember before you set sail then check out the
internet, here’s an example of a link to the Royal Yachting
Association’s website page on UK marine VHF broadcasts:
http://www.rya.org.uk/weathertides/Pages/msi.aspx
Again, the more traditional place to look for information on
times, frequencies or channels is the almanac, or a cruising
guide.
NAVTEX
Getting a little bit more technical now - NAVTEX units are also
part of the GMDSS, and they are designed specifically for the
reception of marine safety information. If you have one onboard, it
will already be spitting weather forecast information out at you as
part of that service. If you don’t, then a dedicated receiver is
required, but it’s a good investment in safety anyway, and might
just save you an insurance claim! If you want to know more, here’s
the RYA’s website page on NAVTEX:
http://www.rya.org.uk/infoadvice/regssafety/Equipment/Pages/navtex.aspx
Premium Telephone Lines
Before the advent of the internet these were great sources of
information. These days they are still a good (but sometimes
expensive) alternative to the web, especially if you have a mobile
phone without internet access. Here are some examples of what’s
provided by the various National Weather Services.
The Met Office in the UK: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/public/paid/leisuremarine
NOAA in the USA: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/noaatel.htm
Bureau of Meteorology in Australia: http://www.bom.gov.au/other/tws/twsdir.shtml
Custom Weather Forecasts
If you want to push the boat out (‘cuse the terrible pun) on
your own personal weather service, then there are several purveyors
of tailored weather forecasts for regattas, ocean passages or just
trips across the Channel – here are a few of them.
Commanders’ Weather - http://www.commandersweather.com/
Sailing Weather Service - http://www.sailwx.com/PUBLIC/index.html
Winning Wind - http://www.winningwind.com/
SSB
And finally, the proper old school stuff – the Single Side-Band
Radio. Before satellite communications changed our world the SSB
was the main or only means of receiving weather information in the
open ocean. And that system is largely still in place – well worth
investigating if you’re going serious blue water cruising, if only
as a back-up to the satcom.
