grib gfs 28N:42W:38N:13W 12,36,60,84,108,132,156,180 WIND
Catmojo
Matt
Mon 8 Jun 2020 12:10
I send this email to a satellite weather service but i'm sneakily copying it to the blog, too, to show what info we can get on board.
The weather service ignores this text - it just looks at the subject line. The subject line is my request for a set of weather forecast files (called "grib" graphical raster image binary I think) from the GFS forecast which is produced every three hours for the whole world. It produces a set of forecasts in 3hour intervals for up to 180 hours in advance every 3 hours. Or is it every 6 hours? Whatever. It's just a computer doing the predicting but it's not at all bad at doing the predicting. In fact quite good, I find.
I just want to look at a small bit of the whole world weather forecast, to save download time. The section I want is also coded in the subject line - from (bottom left co-ordinates of the rectanghle I want) lat/long 28 north 42 west to (top right lat/long) 38north 13w. This area includes the boat, the azores, and lanzarote.
I'm asking for a set of 8 files which (if I use the right display software, such as Nimble Navigator) will show the forecast for each degree of lat and longitude 12hours ahead, on a map - little arrows showing the predicted wind at each point. The next file in the set shows the whole area prediction 36 hours ahead, the next 60 hours ahead and so on. I could ask for wave data and lots more, but just the WIND is what I want to see.
So anyway, this is how I get clues about the weather ahead. Plus also Simon in the UK has the same data and lots more, and he is also very clued up on ridges of high pressure and troughs of low pressure, too.
Simon says he is ALSO now considering doing another Atlantic circuit (Europe to Caribbean and back) next year, perhaps partly to avoid having another row with the Stupid Yard where is boat parked at the moment, unless they've launched it at long last.
Speedy night last night which became a bit too speedy when I whizzed under some clouds at 10knots, thought I had gotten away without any rain or anything it but then suddenly the wind zipped up to Loud with all the sails up and the boat accelerated, didn't look how fast but it did the hissing thing. SO, bear away from the wind by pressing minus ten on the autopilot a few times, grind in the foresail a bit, Sam heard it and came up, and we both pulled a bit of mainsail down (putting in a reef) and carried on at 9knots, but under somewhat more control. Yes, I should have reefed earlier but meh, it was all fine. We've still got the reef in now at 8am local Monday morning.
Sam's been looking at the forward hull from the helm position and wondering how he got any sleep at all. I think it would be nice to refit the stbd cabins a bit, make them smarter with little lights and fans to each berth, perhaps bunks on the back wall which i could use as storage if no crew. Sam asks if I'll need Planning Permission for that, haha.
Another boat has turned up 10miles ahead on AIS, 2 knots slower. That\s a race right there and Sam's idea of rolling in a bit of foresail is immediately binned. Question is, what music do we play as we charge past? Testio's Pirates of the Caribbean has been agreed as on the playlist, El Nino another possible.