Weather Routing Relays Much Needed Knowledge While Underway

by Jordanna Sheermohamed of Weather Forecast Solutions

Heading out on the high seas can be an adventure filled with endless skies and eternal horizons, provided said skies remain cooperative. Even the most compliant conditions can turn an adventure into a nightmare, with elevated winds and seas battering the most trustworthy vessels. Safety measures currently in place include satellite phones, radar, life boats, GPS trackers, and other items of sort designed to assist once threatening weather is imminent or already raging off the starboard side. However clearly exercising the use of these items would demonstrate the real trouble is only beginning.

Yacht insurance is additionally in place to aid with the damage or recovery of lost assets when weather demonstrates its fury to the fullest. With so many preemptive measures in place for the “after-the-fact” moment, one has to wonder why there isn’t more emphasis on preparation prior to getting underway. For many captains, being at sea is just “another day at the office”, but a bad day at sea can make even the loveliest of offices feel like an eternal Monday with only decaf left in the pot.

Knowing when the weather is likelier to err on the side of safety can offer an extra level of protection for sea-seekers or even those on lengthier voyages when conditions are likely to change due the extended time frame alone. This is where the value of weather routing reveals itself as a low-cost hedge against potential and problematic weather conditions. The “know-before-you-go” information can additionally be useful for a variety of reasons; it can aid in making the most of a weather-related time delay or even reveal a superior window of time to take advantage of favorable ocean currents and following seas.

Even more worth pointing out is that while most will successfully avoid unfavorable weather, sometimes the unfavorable weather can work its way towards a yacht location; hello hurricanes. Evacuations or the last minute scrambles to an alternative hurricane hole can require up to date weather information of both the location and a looming storms’ trajectory and likelihood of impact.

Hot on the tail of tropical weather reports or outlooks, most weather routing clients request images that display significant wave heights, surface winds, ocean currents, sea level pressures, and swell direction/period because as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. In addition to images, weather forecast analysis reports can provide the written explanation and qualitative specifics of an expected sea state. It is these details that directly affects the ride quality as well as estimated time of arrival to a new destination or much-missed home port. Some clients love the detailed satellite imagery to interpret incoming conditions, especially those with a self-interest or possible background that may have overlapped meteorological studies.

Regardless of familiarity with weather, advanced knowledge or warning remains one of the most important tools you pack for your time on the water; if not to stay safe, to maximize your fun!