New GFS grid and zygrib viewer update

Roberto

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A few days ago the new 0.25° grid for the GFS model gribs has become available.
Zygrib www.zygrib.org has just issued a new 7.0.0 version which allows to download grib files with the new spacing.

0.25° gribs are also available through saildocs queries, one has to specify the appropriate grid spacing on the command syntax.



Talking about software updates, I guess everybody knows a new stable OpenCPN 4.0.0 has just been released :)
 
A few days ago the new 0.25° grid for the GFS model gribs has become available.
Zygrib www.zygrib.org has just issued a new 7.0.0 version which allows to download grib files with the new spacing.

0.25° gribs are also available through saildocs queries, one has to specify the appropriate grid spacing on the command syntax.

Talking about software updates, I guess everybody knows a new stable OpenCPN 4.0.0 has just been released :)

I've got the new OpenCPN but thanks for the heads-up about Zygrib. I'll get it now.

Richard

PS - Downloaded. I see the forecast period has now been extended from 8 days to 10 days. I wonder how accurate 10 days ahead will be? :rolleyes:
 
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A few days ago the new 0.25° grid for the GFS model gribs has become available.
Zygrib www.zygrib.org has just issued a new 7.0.0 version which allows to download grib files with the new spacing.

0.25° gribs are also available through saildocs queries, one has to specify the appropriate grid spacing on the command syntax.



Talking about software updates, I guess everybody knows a new stable OpenCPN 4.0.0 has just been released :)

Just spent a couple of minuutes trying the new OpenCPN on my boat laptop. Just one query observation which you might be able to help me with.

OpenCPN now has a grib download function which is great. However it seems to need an email client on the laptop and doesn't do the direct internet grib download a la Zygrib? Which means I still hve to go in to Zygrib, download the gribs and open in OpenCPN as I dont have email set up on my boat laptop?

Am I right?

If so does anyone have a simple email client set up on their boat laptop for this purpose. Dont really want outlook etc as my boat laptop is old and stripped down so as to have reasonable performance!!
 
Just spent a couple of minuutes trying the new OpenCPN on my boat laptop. Just one query observation which you might be able to help me with.

OpenCPN now has a grib download function which is great. However it seems to need an email client on the laptop and doesn't do the direct internet grib download a la Zygrib? Which means I still hve to go in to Zygrib, download the gribs and open in OpenCPN as I dont have email set up on my boat laptop?

Am I right?

If so does anyone have a simple email client set up on their boat laptop for this purpose. Dont really want outlook etc as my boat laptop is old and stripped down so as to have reasonable performance!!

PS Sounds moany. Not complaining as OpenCPN is fantastic with the VMH Charts and Zygrib is great too! I love this opensource stuff!
 
Just spent a couple of minuutes trying the new OpenCPN on my boat laptop. Just one query observation which you might be able to help me with.

OpenCPN now has a grib download function which is great. However it seems to need an email client on the laptop and doesn't do the direct internet grib download a la Zygrib? Which means I still hve to go in to Zygrib, download the gribs and open in OpenCPN as I dont have email set up on my boat laptop?

Am I right?

If so does anyone have a simple email client set up on their boat laptop for this purpose. Dont really want outlook etc as my boat laptop is old and stripped down so as to have reasonable performance!!
Think you are right, Thunderbird works for me. Or in my older version of the grib plugin there is a window towards the bottom of the "write and send email" page with the grib request text, you could just copy and paste that into a web portal of a gmail account and send it off to saildocs. Thunderbird would be a lot easier though. Or google might come up with some really lightweight email clients.
Opencpn is great!!! :)
 
Thanks, Roberto. I was waiting for an announcement by zyGrib and Saildocs but had seen none. No doubt the various Apps will follow suit. Weathertrack tell me that they will do so. I have no news of the others but would like to hear of any experience.

For the buffs, anoraks or geeks, details of the model upgrade are at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/notification/tin14-46gfs_cca.htm.

Most significant is the reduction of the computer grid length to 13 km, smaller than either ECMWF (15 km), the UK (17 km) and JMA (20 km). In principle, the GFS should now outperform the rest although it may not for a variety of reasons ; It should be better than before.

……
I see the forecast period has now been extended from 8 days to 10 days. I wonder how accurate 10 days ahead will be? :rolleyes:

Not very. There will be some skill.

Use the same techniques you use to gauge how much you can rely on a forecast made 8 days ahead.

I n my book, I advise to keep looking ahead – s far as these forecasts go. Look for consistency between forecasts on consecutive days. That gives an idea about how far you can plan ahead. Returning across Channel last year we were able to select a good day 5 days ahead.
 
In my book, I advise to keep looking ahead – s far as these forecasts go. Look for consistency between forecasts on consecutive days. That gives an idea about how far you can plan ahead. Returning across Channel last year we were able to select a good day 5 days ahead.

Thanks. That's what I do. I presume it's what most people do if the trip is critical.
 
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