Every potential new cruising destination has preferred times of the year that make it more appealing for visiting. Wind strengths differ, chances of storms are higher or lower and the overall climate can be more or less inviting.
PredictWind, a wellknown marine weather forecasting service in Auckland, New Zealand, has introduced a new Climate Data feature that it says can provide sailors and mariners the information to make smarter decisions about the best times to travel to a given location.
Climate Data offers month-to-month insights into average, wind, wave and weather conditions for any location worldwide.
Tom Tursi, president of the Maryland School of Sailing, has used PredictWind to plan offshore passages, but has not employed Climate Data for destinations. “If I were planning to go to areas I had not previously sailed in, I would look into that along with other information,” he said. “It’s an additional source of information. I always like to have multiple sources.”
The Climate Data tool gives users rolling averages of weather conditions from the last 10 years, using observed historical weather data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
The idea is to help a user understand seasonal variability of wind, wave and other weather patterns. The data lets mariners steer clear of dangerous areas and pick safer routes. Climate Data can even cross-reference wind patterns with peak tourist seasons so a user can identify quieter months with good conditions.
Applying the new feature, a user can choose the optimal time of year for his/her next adventure by exploring the following:
• Wind (windrose)
• Wave (waverose)
• Air temperature
• Rainfall
• Wave height
• Sea surface temperature
• Cloud coverage
• Highest wind gusts
• Thunderstorm probability
• Visualizations of weather patterns throughout the year
PredictWind’s local knowledge provides detailed information on more than 31,650 global points including 8,499 moorings and anchorages, 11,326 marinas and harbors, 3,233 boat ramps and 1,552 navigational tips. To help plan out your next trip, go to www.predictwind.com.