
Sailing: Meteorology
Using Weather Forecasts
Every boater has had experience with weather forecasts that did not reflect the situation on the water. Use your instruments to check the forecast and make sure you are prepared for all conditions.
Barometric pressure and air temperature sensors (used with your wind instruments) can give you a good indication of the accuracy of a given weather forecast. In addition, sailing clubs often have wind instruments on site; take note of their data and compare it to the forecast. Do the instruments agree with the weatherman?
You can also compare your observations of wind speed, direction, and air pressure to determine whether a forecast area of low pressure is approaching more quickly/slowly or farther north/south than shown in the forecast.
And that’s all for our tips for this week, but don’t miss the next chapter where we will go a little deeper into the topic of “Advanced Systems.” See you soon.