Channel islands weather

[FinesseChris]

Hi
Does anyone know a good source of online forecasts specifically for the Channel Islands? The BBC site does not seem to be much help, nor does YBW. I have found trhe snazzy Beaucette marina weather station, which is great for now and history, but can find little specific to the Islands in the shape of forecasts.
By the way, thanks to Chimet for giving me a justification for staying at home this weekend, and thus not anchoring off Pilsea with the Old Gaffers last night: F6 SW at 0100! The decision was made on the basis of the Inshore Forecast which was for once spot on, it seems.
Cheers
Chris

 

[jimg]

http://www.thisisguernsey.com/code/showi...er&source=2

http://www.jerseymet.gov.je/forecast/jersey/JerFc.html

 

[Blue5]

I use this site for wind speed worldwide

http://www.arl.noaa.gov/ready/cmet.html

enter lat/long co-ordinates, next page choose "Windgram" dataset GFS model 0-84 3hr global

when results appear go to bottom of page and click on "Text Results" (much easier than barbed arrows"

 

[Pie]

Hi NDH

I had a look at the above and would like to understand it, but some areas af it confuses me and couldn't find any help. How do you put it to use? Below is an extract for explanation purposes.

Cheers

WIND DIRECTION @ WIND SPEED (DEG/KNOTS)
FHR: + 0. + 3. + 6.

20.mb 90@ 012 102@ 012 102@ 013
50.mb 159@ 004 178@ 004 161@ 002
100.mb 234@ 013 225@ 015 239@ 018
150.mb 235@ 034 237@ 030 234@ 026
200.mb 236@ 024 237@ 028 245@ 028
250.mb 248@ 032 245@ 038 243@ 037
300.mb 251@ 031 246@ 042 241@ 040
350.mb 252@ 026 251@ 038 250@ 038
400.mb 261@ 026 258@ 035 257@ 036
450.mb 267@ 030 260@ 033 258@ 035
500.mb 269@ 032 264@ 032 258@ 036
550.mb 270@ 030 271@ 030 264@ 035
600.mb 274@ 028 279@ 029 270@ 030
650.mb 280@ 025 281@ 027 271@ 029
700.mb 289@ 023 284@ 026 278@ 033
750.mb 297@ 025 290@ 027 278@ 035
800.mb 302@ 027 297@ 029 284@ 028
850.mb 308@ 027 298@ 026 289@ 024
900.mb 304@ 024 297@ 021 287@ 021
925.mb 301@ 022 293@ 020 286@ 020
950.mb 297@ 020 282@ 017 281@ 018
975.mb 289@ 014 266@ 012 270@ 012
1000.mb 279@ 010 258@ 009 266@ 009

 

[Blue5]

At the top of the table would be the base time, the 0 +3 +6 etc are the hours forward of the start time, it goes out to +84 so 3 1/2 days ahead.
The column you are intersted in is the very bottom one, 1000mb which is nearest to surface for wind speed and direction.
It may seem a bit complicated at first but I have found it to be very accurate and having actual figures and 3hr time spans allows you to see when wind increase is expected.

All these various weather sites help to make up the jigsaw that is the weather, this one works for me for wind speeds but like all forecasts you need to trial it yourself to gain confidence in the accuracy of the data remembering it is only a forecast, not written in stone.

Hope this helps

 

[KellysEye]

Thank you VERY much for that URL, a lot of forecasters use the GFS model and I didn't know it was online.

 

[Pie]

Hi,

Many thanks. It was the weird pressure scale from 20 - 1000 that confused me. I will look at the 1000 row, and visualise it as height from sea level, and ignore the rest - unless I get my boat above sea level. Thank you, that has cleared it up for me.

Cheers

 

[Pie]

But yes I get your point about building a jigsaw to the weather. It is useful to see the full picture. I still need to build up those skills, but trying /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif