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Old 17-04-2021, 02:35   #1
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Baltic Sea Currents

The Baltic Sea doesn't have any tides to speak of, so no tidal charts. However, there are currents, some of them over 1 knot, which makes a huge difference for sailing tactics.

I know that some of these currents are wind-driven, so you can't predict them all like you can tides.

But can we predict them based on wind?

And how about the currents which are not dependent on wind? Is there a decent electronic atlas of these which can be used by Expedition or OpenCPN for routing?

Grateful for any tips.


This seems to imply that it's hopeless: https://www.smhi.se/en/theme/surface-currents-1.12286


But I can't really believe that there is no way to make some predictions.
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Old 17-04-2021, 03:55   #2
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Re: Baltic Sea Currents

The US NGA pilot charts are available in OpenCPN and they make an attempt at a graphical depiction of Baltic Sea currents by month in the North Atlantic volume (Pub 106). I don’t know that you’ll find this helpful due not only to the large scale, but all of the Baltic currents are shown as dashed arrows. The means they are based on sparse data and directional variability. In the Baltic, the don’t even appear to guess at current strengths.
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Old 17-04-2021, 04:11   #3
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Re: Baltic Sea Currents

SMHI (Swedish Met Office) issues Baltic current forecasts for about 60 h see...https://www.smhi.se/vader/prognoser/...ameter=current

The Danes has something similar for the North Sea/Baltic Entrance and S Baltic...https://www.dmi.dk/strom/
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Old 17-04-2021, 04:30   #4
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Re: Baltic Sea Currents

Or Windy.com
https://www.windy.com/-Currents-curr...79,7,m:fgragHI
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Old 17-04-2021, 04:41   #5
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Re: Baltic Sea Currents

WIndy also forecasts a couple of days:
https://www.windy.com/-Currents-curr...9.052,15.996,5
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Old 17-04-2021, 05:41   #6
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Re: Baltic Sea Currents

Windy is based on Copernicus, and seems low resolution and very general, hence contains some garbage values.
Anyone believes this prediction...??
Windy Currents.pdf

The current "arrows" doesn't show up in the pic, but the basically goes across this narrow strait.
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Old 17-04-2021, 05:52   #7
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Re: Baltic Sea Currents

OK, that's great. Can any of these be downloaded as GRIBs which can be used by Expedition or OpenCPN weather routing?
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I believe you refuse to go back without feeling of me;
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Cushion me soft . . . . rock me in billowy drowse,
Dash me with amorous wet . . . . I can repay you."
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Old 17-04-2021, 06:04   #8
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Re: Baltic Sea Currents

These German gribfiles should be possible to use in OpenCPN wx routing.
I have not tested it myself though...
I do know that they display OK in O though. There was an issue with the grib2 files. Can't remember the current state of this issue.

https://www.bsh.de/EN/DATA/Currents/...lors_node.html
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Old 17-04-2021, 07:38   #9
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Re: Baltic Sea Currents

Quote:
Originally Posted by cagney View Post
Windy is based on Copernicus, and seems low resolution and very general, hence contains some garbage values.
Anyone believes this prediction...??
Attachment 236684

The current "arrows" doesn't show up in the pic, but the basically goes across this narrow strait.

If you expect a global model to take into account a series of complex 1km wide channels through a group of islands, I've got a bridge you may like to buy
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Old 17-04-2021, 07:53   #10
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Re: Baltic Sea Currents

Quote:
Originally Posted by cagney View Post
These German gribfiles should be possible to use in OpenCPN wx routing.
I have not tested it myself though...
I do know that they display OK in O though. There was an issue with the grib2 files. Can't remember the current state of this issue.

https://www.bsh.de/EN/DATA/Currents/...lors_node.html
EXACTLY what I was looking for! Thanks very much!


By the way, this gem of a resource also has current predictions for the Elbe -- invaluable for Kiel Canal transits. The Elbe is an unholy bitch with the stream running as hard as 6 knots downstream, and there are no reliable sources for currents, which vary according to the weather and not just according to the tide. I've been caught with the current turning more than hour before or after it should have.
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"You sea! I resign myself to you also . . . . I guess what you mean,
I behold from the beach your crooked inviting fingers,
I believe you refuse to go back without feeling of me;
We must have a turn together . . . . I undress . . . . hurry me out of sight of the land,
Cushion me soft . . . . rock me in billowy drowse,
Dash me with amorous wet . . . . I can repay you."
Walt Whitman
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