What Is Your Preferred Source For Wind Forecasts?

[Binx]

New to windsports and having a hard time understanding diff between GFS and NAM. NAM wind forecasts consistently higher than GFS. Why?

I like the MYC site for current conditions, but of course, site does not provide forecast.
http://www.minnetonkayachtclub.org/WeatherStation.aspx

What is YOUR preferred source for wind forecasts?

[chanrider]

Mostly I just watch for posts by Tighe Belden, Scott Chapman, Brian Smith and others who seem to know how to read forecasts. It depends on where you want to go, for example Stroh looks to be a good source for Duluth this summer. Jerry S is often the man out west. Put some airport numbers into your cell phone close to where you want to sail. I have Hutchinson, Glencoe and Litchfield programmed which give me a pretty good idea of the wind that's imminent for Waconia.

This Exptl link is good (which is on LAKAWA wind)...

http://maps.fsl.noaa.gov/disp2.cgi?/w3/ ... rf_wind+nc

LAKAWA Wind Forecast has other links which should get you hooked up. Personally I am still terrible at reading forecasts. Look at several sources to get some perspective, often there are differences and you need to divine a sort of consensus among them. You should look at the isobars from at least one source to get a notion for the energy that's in the area. Wind can be very specific around here so studying different spots (and talking to locals) and how they react to weather systems helps. Mostly I just show up at the lake with my fingers crossed and a lot of gear!

[krazykatie]

tighe

[Tighe]

thanks guys.

FYI, for those of you new to the forum. A while back we made an observation that if we talked too much of wind ahead of time we would jinx it and it wouldn't happen. Also it was noted that as soon as you commit to doing "something else", it invariably blows like stink. So, if you see me committing to an afternoon of "garage cleaning" it is a hint that it looks like it will blow. I've had people contact me asking if I was hinting at a kite garage sale, or if I was just psycho about a clean garage.

I try to do at least one "reading the Forecasts" seminar a year. It is way over due this year. I'll try to put one together one of these nights.

[Dave Z]

Go for a combo of local NWS, Experimental and MRF maps. The MRF is nice for attempting to book a "wind date" ahead of time.

I agree - keep a pile of local airport phone numbers on your phone so you can get current conditions. It also helps to know the orientation of the airport and it's location to your local sailing destination. A good case in point is Cannon Lake on a South wind - you call Owatonna to get the current wind, call Mankato to get an idea of what might be coming and don't bother with Faribault because it always reads low in a Southerly (runway runs East/West and there's a large expanse of trees bordering the South side of the airport - but it reads well when winds are Westerly).

[Binx]

tighe says:
<<I try to do at least one "reading the Forecasts" seminar a year. It is way over due this year. I'll try to put one together one of these nights.>>

Would like to know more about this. Where's the sign-up sheet?

For now I'd settle for an explanation of how/why the NAM and GFS forecasts differ, and which one is the better indicator of winds-to-come.

[thewavebb]

Tighe,

I have seen your garage. . .it's pretty clean. almost too clean for a normal non-psycho guy.

When I met my wife, I made sure she was aware of the "It's windy out" clause. Unless it was really important, I was out surfing. That was before kids though...

[TJ]

I agree with checking posting from Tighe, Scott and others...However they are getting old we have to find other sources!!!

Just kidding!!! based on SteveB's age we'll have them for a while!!!