Ft Myers to Maine Weather

[ssullivan]

What weather window should I be looking at to make the trip up from Ft Myers to Maine?

I understand the NY and up part, but am not recalling what the temps and conditions are in FL-VA in Feb, March and April.

Anyone care to remind me what I'm facing doing a possible early season trip up the East Coast?

[btrayfors]

Wait as long as you can.

February is a terrible month (cold, storms, contrary winds). Prevailing winds off the SE coast tend to be mostly N to NW in Feb and Mar. Things are a bit better in April, with E and S winds beginning to settle in. By May, they're much better.

You definitely DO NOT want to be in the Gulf Stream with any but the very lightest winds from the northern quadrants.

Suggest you have a look at the North Atlantic pilot charts for Feb, Mar, Apr, and May.

Bill

[scallywag]

ssullivan,
We have had a mild winter so far in Florida. Jacksonville and vicinity have reached a low of 32 degrees for about two weeks. One week coooold, the next week temps. in the 70's. Tonight it is going to 32 again for a couple of days. In six weeks, we should be able to plant warm weather crops. I second Bill! You do not want to be in the Gulf Stream this part of the year. Anytime the north east wind blows, it is bad. Some sailors heading for the Med. have had to turn around in June because of the NE wind.

John

[camaraderie]

You really can't count on good weather between FL & VA until April...but you may get a few windows for short passages in March. It will be cold with night-time temps in the 30's & 40's in the Carolinas and daytime in the 50's generally until you get to April. If I were locked into traveling during Feb & March...I would plan on traveling coastally and ducking in every day or two to re-fresh and to avoid weather as necessary. An excellent guide to all the Inlets from Miami to Norfolk is Dodge's Guide to SE US Inlets which has charts & waypoints for all.
Inlet ChartBook: Southeastern United States - 3rd Ed.

[hellosailor]

Sean, if you want solid numbers look at National Data Buoy Center where you can open the actual historical data from ocean and near-shore buoys.

A fast look over them can give you an idea for the temperature, wave height, wind, that they have experienced in recent past years, and you can make your own guesses about how the coming year will be, as well as the extremes that have been there.

I'm guessing you're planning a delivery run?

[ssullivan]

Thanks, everyone. I thought as much. I remember the northers on the Gulf Stream being brutal when I was down there. No fun.

I suppose I'll have to wait it out a bit because I don't enjoy freezing and getting my *ss kicked while beating into the wind.

Yes, Hellosailor... it's a delivery I'm looking at. Just trying to figure out timing and such. Thanks.

[btrayfors]

Sean,

You need also to plan for the part from Ft. Myers to Key West. If I remember the Pilot Charts correctly, the prevailing wind by March/April is mostly southeasterly....i.e., against you.

Bill