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Old 04-02-2018, 07:45   #1
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Observations for a whole year on a map

I’m planning a cruise, maybe a circumnavigation, and would like to know more about the weather on the oceans where I will sail. Anyone who knows if it is possible to find global weather observations displayed on a map? For example a global GRIB-file for a whole year?
I’ve downloaded ten days forecasts during a couple of months with Zygrib, but it would be convenient if I don’t have to change file when I follow the changes in the weather over longer periods. It would also be nice to find data for a whole year now instead of downloading once in a while for a year.
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Old 04-02-2018, 08:41   #2
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Re: Observations for a whole year on a map

Look at pilot charts.
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Old 04-02-2018, 08:48   #3
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Re: Observations for a whole year on a map

Pilot charts give you average conditions over hundreds of years, more useful than just one year & contain much more info of likely conditions.


https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/info/pilotcharts.html

http://www.offshoreblue.com/navigation/pilot-charts.php

Also from amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Cruis...ruising+routes

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ocean-Passa...=andy+o+gradey
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Old 04-02-2018, 13:25   #4
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Re: Observations for a whole year on a map

Try here:

Climatology of Global Ocean Winds - COGOW

It needs Flash player for the location selector on the index page.

If you don't want to use flash to select your start location, go direct to here and use the little navigation box to move around.
Climatology of Global Ocean Winds (QuikSCAT)
(You don't say where you are starting from, so I've linked to Jan on the East Coast of the US.)


Hold you mouse over any point in the map to see a Windrose for the selected fortnight and location.
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Old 09-02-2018, 09:00   #5
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Re: Observations for a whole year on a map

Thank you for the replies. I have studied statistics and average windspeed. The problem is that it's not average weather in an ordinary day. I would like to learn what weather to wait for. When is it a good weather window and when should I wait for better weather?
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Old 09-02-2018, 09:51   #6
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Re: Observations for a whole year on a map

See if you can dig up anything useful here ...

https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/data-acces...on-system-srrs
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Old 09-02-2018, 09:56   #7
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Re: Observations for a whole year on a map

I can understand your interest in trying to anticipate the weather you're most likely to experience. Before my wife and I depart on a passage, we can spend hours analyzing GRIBs, windy.com, pilot charts, refering to Jimmy Cornel's World Cruising Routes and more but the bottom line is that weather, to quote a phrase from Bob McDavitt, a highly-regarded meteorologist in New Zealand, is " . . . a mixture of patterns and chaos." You can't predict chaos. Of course, you choose passages where tropical storms can develop at the time of year when they're least likely to but, if you're going to cross oceans, you just have to be prepared to accept and deal with whatever it is that you're experiencing. I can't count how many times we've been on a passage and the GRIBs that we were getting were just plain wrong.

I do know of several successful cruisers who never look at forecasts before they leave on a passage. They leave when they're ready and deal with whatever is out there.

It's pretty easy to avoid tropical storms. A well-found cruising sailboat can deal with everything else, usually without breaking anything expensive. It's rarely dangerous although it can be uncomfortable for a while.

Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

Fair winds and calm seas.
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Old 09-02-2018, 14:53   #8
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Re: Observations for a whole year on a map

Quote:
Originally Posted by Arrandir View Post
Thank you for the replies. I have studied statistics and average windspeed. The problem is that it's not average weather in an ordinary day. I would like to learn what weather to wait for. When is it a good weather window and when should I wait for better weather?
That's what the Windrose is for, it gives you a graphical indication of what mkes up the average windspeed/direction. Then you can determine the likelihood of getting certain conditions.
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