Best weather app for East coast?

[DennisF]

My boat is 2.75 hours away from me on the East Coast. I’ve just had a weekend of sailing wasted by believing the dire warnings of the Met Office app right up until Friday night, whereas today (Saturday) the weather looks much better on the app (and also on the Deben entrance webcam). XC weather showed a much more favourable forecast than the met office from 3 days ago.

So, lesson learned, the met office got it wrong. Given the distances involved I need to have an accurate forecast 24 hours in advance to avoid wasted time and fuel. What have people found to be the best app or website for weather predictions for East Coast sailing?

 

[Gitane]

My boat is 2.75 hours away from me on the East Coast. I’ve just had a weekend of sailing wasted by believing the dire warnings of the Met Office app right up until Friday night, whereas today (Saturday) the weather looks much better on the app (and also on the Deben entrance webcam). XC weather showed a much more favourable forecast than the met office from 3 days ago.

So, lesson learned, the met office got it wrong. Given the distances involved I need to have an accurate forecast 24 hours in advance to avoid wasted time and fuel. What have people found to be the best app or website for weather predictions for East Coast sailing?

I have good experiences with Windguru.

 

[Dan Tribe]

I have good experiences with Windguru.

+1. usually spot on. It even predicted the exact time a large thunderstorm hit, how can it do that?
When I'm in Holland I sometimes use buienradar.nl to check for rain. I've just noticed that it does a lot more than rain and can also do local areas. Worth a look.

 

[pvb]

I find XCWeather usually agrees with Windguru and is somewhat easier to view.

 

[tillergirl]

I use XC most of the time associated with the Met Office rainfall radar. But I wouldn't disagree with Windguru. Windyty is quite interesting.

 

[DennisF]

Thanks all. I should have just gone and see what actually arrived, but my only crew for this weekend has only been on the boat twice before and I didn’t want to put him off. Also it is about £50 in fuel to get there and back so try not to go if going to be stuck in the marina. On the other hand, due to work and other commitments my weekends free for sailing are fixed a fair way in advance. Interestingly XC weather and wind guru were both predicting lower gusts from 3 days out so lesson learned.

 

[Tradewinds]

Just to throw another one into the mix that I find OK (but I think they're all more or less the same).

I use it for Amsterdam along with XC.

It also has a local EC weather spot that handily gives tide times and hts.

https://www.windfinder.com/forecast/suffolk-yacht-harbour

 

[johnalison]

I prefer a graphic display and use Passageweather. Maybe the xc weather type is handy for local use, but if I am doing something like a crossing, the chart shows me what is happening over a wide area.

 

[DennisF]

Just to throw another one into the mix that I find OK (but I think they're all more or less the same).

I use it for Amsterdam along with XC.

It also has a local EC weather spot that handily gives tide times and hts.

https://www.windfinder.com/forecast/suffolk-yacht-harbour

That is handy as that is where my boat is!

 

[Old Bumbulum]

Windguru is OK but it only really does wind well, and there's a lot more to weather than that.

ventusky does everything you can think of and then some and in 2 years of use I have found it extremely accurate.

https://www.ventusky.com

 

[DennisF]

Windguru is OK but it only really does wind well, and there's a lot more to weather than that.

ventusky does everything you can think of and then some and in 2 years of use I have found it extremely accurate.

https://www.ventusky.com

Thanks - I’ve bookmarked that one as well

 

[Kukri]

Good thread thanks. Have been relying on Windguru.

 

[xyachtdave]

Post only to add XC weather is my first choice, then MagicSeaweed, once you can find your way around the site tracking the various weather systems gives a good indicator as to what to expect in a few days time.


https://magicseaweed.com/UK-Ireland-Surf-Chart/1/?type=wind

 

[John_Silver]

Meteo Consult (the app, not the website which requires a subscription to get the quality information available free on the app) has served me well on the East Coast and further afield.

 

[MoodySabre]

A lot of them use the same data. I like Windguru but XC weather and Windfinder show the same info but present it differently. Ventuski show the wind speed at 10m above sea level (or higher). Windguru is a windsurfers site so perhaps more relevant. I've never found it way out but three days ahead is all you rely on, if that.

 

[westhinder]

During our summer trip to Norway we got to appreciate YR, the weather app of the Norwegian public broadcaster. We still use it at home and it remains quite reliable. Worth a try.

 

[Rafiki]

I will throw in Predictwind. The free version enables you to access predictions for 3 places and you can change them as many times as you like, so no need to pay for the upgraded version. Good graphical representations and shows 4 different "models". If they differ then conclude that there is a lot of uncertainty, if they are all fairly close then there is a high degree of certainty.

 

[Marmalade]

windy.com and the associated app has (imho) the best graphical display by far, and allows you to choose your forecast model. The AROME model (I'm guessing French) is the most granular (2km) but only shows next 48hrs, whilst ECMWF seems to be the current favourite for longer term forecasts. GFS is available too. You can see wind, gusts, waves, pressure, rain and a radar view - all of which have their uses...
I've also used MeteoConsult for France - v good too. (not sure if it has an app)

 

[Old Bumbulum]

A lot of them use the same data. I like Windguru but XC weather and Windfinder show the same info but present it differently. Ventuski show the wind speed at 10m above sea level (or higher). Windguru is a windsurfers site so perhaps more relevant. I've never found it way out but three days ahead is all you rely on, if that.

There are only a handful of suppliers of met data worldwide so the plethora of "met" apps differ mainly in their presentation so it is mainly the preentation that suits you that makes the choice.
Having said that the difference between 10m wind and any other surface wind is non=existant so can be dismissed - it isn't relevant. Wind measurements below that are likely to be considerably affected by surface effects, be it terrain, buildings, vegetation or waves so 10m wind (only 30ft, the top of most of our masts) is as good a choice as any.

I don't think you can 'rely' on any forecast even 3 days ahead, they are only ever an indication and the further ahead than 24hrs the less accurate they are likely to be.

Again, pick one whose presentation suits you. personally I can't get my head around Windgurus four? five? six? different parameters of prediction for the same place all with diferent Km ranges. What on earth is that all about?
Simple graphics works for my simple mind . = Ventusky.

 

[Gargleblaster]

There are only a handful of suppliers of met data worldwide so the plethora of "met" apps differ mainly in their presentation so it is mainly the preentation that suits you that makes the choice..

I believe they all use the same data but the algorithms with which they process the data can differ. For instance the met office use one set of algorithms which will differ from Heidelberg University I believe. The trick is to find the source of the algorithms that you believe produce the most accurate predictions for the period you want.

For instance I used to use Weatheronline which used algorithms from Heidelberg University but got sick of their ads on my laptop and switched to BBC which was using the met office who in my opinion had become completely accurate out to 24 hours. but when the BBC switched to Meteo I found them less accurate and was looking at the Met Office direct.

Recently on an extended trip to the Baltic with only a mobile phone for information I have gone back to Weatheronline and found the app on the phone not only very accurate but relatively free of ads. Weatheronline has the advantage of providing rain, cloud, sunshine and wind rather than wind alone. Windguru and I am not sure where their algrithms are from are very good for wind and relatively accurate out to 3 days, they also show swell direction which can be useful in very large bodies of water.