Idiots guide to getting weather forecasts needed.

[burgundyben]

So up until now all of my weather forecasting has been looking out of the window or checking Bramblemet.

Our plan is saturday to nip over to St Vaast for a couple of days, passage should be about 4 hours.

where am I best to get weather forecasts from?

Following on from Chris Robb's post I looked on EMCFRDW or something and a site called weather online.

The weather online one is forecasting 15 knots from WSW for saturday, that cwould be fine.

any other hints?

Then planning Cherb - Ald - St PP - Weymouth - dont know, have got nine days.

 

[saltysplash]

i use marine call on the phone, a bit pricey but generally accurate as far as thames and dover goes, but so far this year the forecast seems to change every hour

 

[jamesjermain]

At home this: Met office marine site

At sea Radio 4 shipping forecasts

 

[Evadne]

ECMWF do medium range forecasts here

I hate to be a killjoy but it looks a bit dodgy after Sunday, if it stays that way. Weekend might be nice though, W or SW 3-4 depending on who you believe.

 

[Brian_B]

I hope you get better weather than the last few weeks. We are just back from three weeks sailing off Devon and Cornwall.
After the first week got so fed up with F7/F8 in the forecast we took a cheap flight to Greece. Great weather and very hot!

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

And be warned that there is a great deal of uncertainty in the forecasts at present.... so they may or may not be very accurate!

 

[jhr]

For real-time data, you could try the NDBC website and look at the Greenwich and Channel Lightship data. Although they are either side of the line between the Solent and St Vaast, you will find links to reports from other nearby stations (ships, weather buoys etc) with position and time, which may help build up a picture of what's going on.

There is Theyr, which you have to pay for nowadays I believe, but which you seem to be able to access for free via here.

I'm sure I remember reading a post on here about someone crossing the Channel on a ferry in gale force conditions some years back, and being followed all the way across by someone in a Huntsman taking advantage of the ferry's relatively smooth wake?

If you're over that side, Carteret is worth a visit, though heavily tidal. I'd almost sooner go there than Cherbourg, to be honest.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Also watch out for wind over tide situations of the Cherbourg peninsular especially the headlands. Could be nasty and force you off the plane, to become more at the mercy of the waves. (though Huntress is streets beter than modern "flying suitcases" as I call them!)

 

[CPD]

I find www.xcweather.co.uk really good. SOmetimes its even accurate !

 

[AliM]

I use all the ones described above + other links from westwind + metcheck + Simon Keeling's one posted here on Thursdays for the following weekend, and e-mailed to you if you ask him.

If they all agree, they usually have it right. If they disagree, then I am a bit more cautious. I don't think they've agreed often this year!

 

[gjbentley]

My advice is to wait until the unsettled weather ends.

Then the weather forecasts will have some value.

Otherwise use your eyes and ears to judge the local situation.

 

[Sixpence]

Could be a long wait , the unsettled weather is supposed to be with us at least until spring 2008 , according to some sites