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Old 17-04-2011, 11:45   #16
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Re: Where To Get the Best Weather Forecast For Crossing The GS From SE Florida

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Originally Posted by Waterwayguy View Post
The VHF broadcasts will only give you forecasts for near shore waters and won't help much once more than 20 mile out. Add to that the fact that most of the time their forecasts are not accurate. You are much better off collecting as much information as you can and making your decision based on your own comfort levels. We have had the VHF forecast change 5 times within a 24 hour period. Chuck

Second what Chuck said. NWS marine weather is not known for accuracy, and can be way behind the ball. Listen to an entire coastal broadcast on VHF weather. Not uncommon to hear a noon recording like this:

Quote:
Forecast as of 6:13 am local > for coastal waters of Cape Whatever: Winds this morning SE 5-10kts, becoming light and variable this afternoon.....(later in same recording) buoy 4 miles off Cape Whatever: winds, North East, 26kts, gusts to 30kts.
You would think that someone at the forecast office would actually have access to the data being generated by the buoy... but they don't.

Get your own data as GRIB or forecast maps or satellite images and make your own decisions.
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Old 23-04-2011, 00:26   #17
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Re: Where To Get the Best Weather Forecast For Crossing The GS From SE Florida

Without reading all the previous posts, life is too short, I think that you will do no better than use the NWS (NOAA) GRIB files - the GFS. Since the enhancement last year the GFS now gives good guidance up to 4 or 5 days ahead. Along with the UKMO, this is the best operational numerical weather prediction model. The ECMWF will do a little better for days3 or 4 onwards but comes available several hours later than the GFs and is not, as fas as I know, available in GRIB form to most sailors. Anyone giving advice from the shore is going to be depending on the GFS or similar models.

How you get the GFS is, of course, another matter. With internet access, zyGrib is the best service that I know with the quickest downloads, good topography and many data options. CAPE is particularly useful in indicating areas of strong convection, therefore thunderstorm/lightning risk.

At sea, the email from Saildocs with its repeat request facility is probably the most sufficient. Otherwise MailASail. You can still use the zyGrib viewer. Obviously, HF radio is the cheapest option but with careful choice of such as gri spacing of the data, area, time intervals, costs over Iridium should not be too great.

PS

Obviously (?) I should have added, whatever GMDSS service you can receive via VHF, MF.HF and, INMARSAT.
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Old 24-04-2011, 17:29   #18
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Re: Where To Get the Best Weather Forecast For Crossing The GS From SE Florida

Zygrib is pretty good. Any idea why it does not show wave direction or height?
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Old 24-04-2011, 17:37   #19
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Plan your trip for the worst 'good time' senario.... then anything else is a great bonus....
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Old 25-04-2011, 01:28   #20
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Re: Where To Get the Best Weather Forecast For Crossing The GS From SE Florida

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Zygrib is pretty good. Any idea why it does not show wave direction or height?
Simply a matter of time. I do not know how many people are behind zyGrib. But resources are limited. It will probably happen - at some time in the future.
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