Wind forecast apps

[DanTribe]

What apps for Android are you currently using? I've used Windguru for years and love it but my new 'phone will not support it, that's a big downer.
I do use Windy and WindAlert but not fully happy with them.

 

[Boathook]

What apps for Android are you currently using? I've used Windguru for years and love it but my new 'phone will not support it, that's a big downer.
I do use Windy and WindAlert but not fully happy with them.

I like Windy and that you can switch between forecast models. Met office and BBC weather apps are good for coastal waters. Web based I use the Met Office inshore shipping forecast. There is the main shipping forecast but I don't tend to use that nowadays sailing in the Channel.

I used to use the French Meteo? app but they made a "pay to view" so didn't bother.

 

[Sandy]

They are all very much of a muchness.

Personally, I use the Shipping Forecast and the Inshore Forecast as my primary sources of weather information. If coastal, within reach of the Internet, look at the many weather stations, e.g. NCI in England, that post the actual weather online.

 

[Malabar]

XC Weather is always my first stop. The 7-day forecasts give you a reasonable feel for planning. 48 hrs isd now pretty well spot on. Presentation is excellent.

 

[alahol2]

I use Windfinder pro. Their 'Superforecast' (3 day) does seem to encompass local conditions.

 

[John_Silver]

Big fan of Meteo Consult, since it was first recommended to me 15 years back. Consistently accurate local forecasts.

Although all the forecast apps are based on the same weather models, there does seem to be some ‘secret sauce,’ of accuracy, added by Meteo Consult.

 

[Boathook]

Big fan of Meteo Consult, since it was first recommended to me 15 years back. Consistently accurate local forecasts.

Although all the forecast apps are based on the same weather models, there does seem to be some ‘secret sauce,’ of accuracy, added by Meteo Consult.

Is meteo consult still a pay service ?

 

[John_Silver]

Is meteo consult still a pay service ?

It went to subscription 2022 (from memory), after being free previously. Annual sub is around £40, which suits my usage. But you can go monthly. The sub is cheaper from the Meteo Consult website than through the Apple Store (don't know if the same applies to the Android equivalent)

 

[Chiara’s slave]

£40 isca lot of money for a years sbscription. Windy is £50 for life membership, we’ve had that for about 6 years so far. The full features you get with subscription ate worth it to me It’s 12.99 (from memory) for a year.

 

[dunedin]

They are all very much of a muchness.

Personally, I use the Shipping Forecast and the Inshore Forecast as my primary sources of weather information. If coastal, within reach of the Internet, look at the many weather stations, e.g. NCI in England, that post the actual weather online.

Sorry but I don’t agree. Different apps often use different weather models. The better ones use multiple models.
Hence it is essential to know what model(s) are being used when choosing an app.

I definitely like to use 2-3 different models - and soon learn to compare, and get a better overall view. I generally use 3 websites (not apps) for the different models - indeed keep the 3 tabs active on iPad permanently - but also use PredictWind to compare.
Sadly MetOffice has definitely changed their algorithm last year and so almost always “cries wolf” with the gust speeds, which I now ignore (Xc using GFS more accurate for this, in my experience).
Inshore waters generally too wide an area to be particularly useful, at least up where I sail.

 

[John_Silver]

Meteo Consult serves up its own forecast on one tab. Then gives forecasts produced by the individual models (which, I'm assuming, go into its make up) on another. For ease of comparison. Which, as @dunedin says, gives insight into confidence levels. Particularly looking a couple of days out. Models displayed listed below:

Meteo Consult 1km
Arome HD 1.3km
Arpege 10km
UKMO 10km
GFS 22km
CEP 25km

 

[DFL1010]

With the way things are going with our friends to the west of us, I wonder if we can take it as read that free access to GFS will continue in the future?

 

[Sandy]

Sadly MetOffice has definitely changed their algorithm last year and so almost always “cries wolf” with the gust speeds, which I now ignore (Xc using GFS more accurate for this, in my experience).

When the RIN/RMetSoc Sailing and Weather event, held every two years, was at Greenwich a few years back I had quite a long chat with one of the Met Office Shipping forecasters and came away with a much better understanding of what they publish in the Shipping Forecast basically, the average wind strength for a sea area with maximum gusts, and now look at the bigger picture. Which reminds me I must print out some of the RYA proformas.

I spent a very pleasant few hours on the train going up to Southampton with the organiser of the 2024 event, as I am now retired I refuse to wear a jacket and tie thus was not attending the Royal Yacht Squadron (due to its dress code), but was visiting Southampton for another sailing activity. A fascinating discussion on Ensemble and AI generated forecasts was had in the time we spend on the train from Exeter.

As the Met Office is just up the road I've been lucky enough to visit several times with different professional institutes. On my first visit, with the British Computer Society, they were very keen to show us some of the original Fortran coding still being used in their models.

 

[lustyd]

Windguru has an excellent web page which works on mobile so no need for an app.

Beware of PredictWind, they’re pretty anticonsumer in their practices and if you cancel they don’t honour your contract and remove access you’ve paid for with immediate effect.

 

[dunedin]

When the RIN/RMetSoc Sailing and Weather event, held every two years, was at Greenwich a few years back I had quite a long chat with one of the Met Office Shipping forecasters and came away with a much better understanding of what they publish in the Shipping Forecast basically, the average wind strength for a sea area with maximum gusts, and now look at the bigger picture. Which reminds me I must print out some of the RYA proformas.

I spent a very pleasant few hours on the train going up to Southampton with the organiser of the 2024 event, as I am now retired I refuse to wear a jacket and tie thus was not attending the Royal Yacht Squadron (due to its dress code), but was visiting Southampton for another sailing activity. A fascinating discussion on Ensemble and AI generated forecasts was had in the time we spend on the train from Exeter.

As the Met Office is just up the road I've been lucky enough to visit several times with different professional institutes. On my first visit, with the British Computer Society, they were very keen to show us some of the original Fortran coding still being used in their models.

The MetOffice forecast that is very strongly pessimistic on gusts is the Website model for a location, and is fully automated. Oddly the Met Office 2km model data feed into PredictWind doesn't seem to have this, so is better.
The Inshore and Shipping forecasts are very different, I believe, as compiled annually? (But some cover very wide and diverse areas so limited use.)

 

[Sandy]

The MetOffice forecast that is very strongly pessimistic on gusts is the Website model for a location, and is fully automated. Oddly the Met Office 2km model data feed into PredictWind doesn't seem to have this, so is better.
The Inshore and Shipping forecasts are very different, I believe, as compiled annually? (But some cover very wide and diverse areas so limited use.)

As ever the old adage is we find a forecast that suits our plans.

We both have experience of the wonderful Scottish weather and know that it can be blowing a hooly while a mile away it is a still day.

Only on Knoydart have I stepped into and out of a shower of rain, quite surreal.

 

[Roberto]

With the way things are going with our friends to the west of us, I wonder if we can take it as read that free access to GFS will continue in the future?

They will write off all these stone age VHF, safetynet, gmdss stuff and replace it by PAYG forecasts and maritime safety information through Starlink. Given how global relationships are evolving, the Ecmwf might hire all OPC/NHC researchers and forecasters being laid off, create the world most powerful atmosph. science think tank and distribute data for free, ta-dah
Ps will there be any Noaa left probably the question.

 

[dunedin]

As ever the old adage is we find a forecast that suits our plans.

We both have experience of the wonderful Scottish weather and know that it can be blowing a hooly while a mile away it is a still day.

Only on Knoydart have I stepped into and out of a shower of rain, quite surreal.

That might be your approach but not mine. Definitely like multiple forecasts to compare and see how consistent.

Also Inshore Waters useless for strategic weather planning, as too short term. I always look 7 days ahead to see if any bad weather systems coming - can take 3 days or so to sail to better location. As did this year, baling out from Shetland to Oban when after 4 weeks of very good weather up north, everything was (correctly) forecast to go pear shaped further north. Only just escaped in time.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

I do like the "Windy" type apps where the wind moving arrows are shown over maps
which indicates the type of slant for sailing. Particulary for going into and out of the east coast rivers .These coupled with XC Weather work quite well for me.