G'day all,

Can anyone give me some pointers on how to read the wind chart on this site?

The chart is showing around 20kn for around 4pm in the Perth metro area today, Wednesday 24.02.2010, yet there's bugger all wind at the beach so my lesson was canceled



Obviously I'm missing something here, the chart shows sufficient wind, yet there is none.

How much can the chart on this site be relied on & does anyone know any better places to get a wind forecast?

What's a boy with withdrawals to do?

If anyone got out on the water for a kite today, what size gear did you use?

HA HA. perfect timing for this post. I drove from Busselton to Perth yesterday just for a kite surf. Got to Perth and Murphy kicked me smack in the balls when the wind had turned in to air. useless air at that. I don't blame myself for being stupid enough for driving 300km because a site says it will be nice even though 90 times out of 100 its wrong where I live, no I blame seabreeze for being wrong the 91 time DAM YOU MURPHY!!!!!

That's the difference between forecast wind and actual wind......

The chart doesn't show there is sufficient wind. It shows that a computer model predicts there may be sufficient wind.

Actual wind charts are updated every 30 minutes from BoM. But if you re watching the charts you can't be in the water!!

Find three or four weather forecasting sites, average them, disbelieve them and stick your head out of the window to see if there is wind.

If seabreeze could predict the future then they'd have the lotto numbers there as well!!

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Bigwavedave said...


Find three or four weather forecasting sites, average them, disbelieve them and stick your head out of the window to see if there is wind.

SPOT ON DAVE!

If i see Green wind, i base the working week around it. It generally comes through, sometimes a little late but generally it's there. But i also check out other sites, but maybe thats because i'm a little obsessed

You have 22 posts and your still doing lessons. Forget the computer and get down the beach and your lesson will come.

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Bigwavedave said...

That's the difference between forecast wind and actual wind......

The chart doesn't show there is sufficient wind. It shows that a computer model predicts there may be sufficient wind.

Actual wind charts are updated every 30 minutes from BoM. But if you re watching the charts you can't be in the water!!

I know & that's kinda my point; I figured that by the last update to the chart, they (whoever does it) would know that there was no chance of the forecast being true for today so it should have been changed, yet it stayed the same.

I guess I'm just whining cause I didn't get my time today.

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TurtleHunter said...

You have 22 posts and your still doing lessons. Forget the computer and get down the beach and your lesson will come.

I know I know, but what can I say, the school is mega busy, I only have after work to fit a lesson in, which is why I booked two days in a row this week to get my lessons all done with, but now it looks like I'll have to get in late next week, if spots are available.

Damn these delays, maybe I should have just bought some gear & self taught.

It'll be the happiest day in my life when I can get out there on my own.

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oceanfire said...

Bigwavedave said...

That's the difference between forecast wind and actual wind......

The chart doesn't show there is sufficient wind. It shows that a computer model predicts there may be sufficient wind.

Actual wind charts are updated every 30 minutes from BoM. But if you re watching the charts you can't be in the water!!

I know & that's kinda my point; I figured that by the last update to the chart, they (whoever does it) would know that there was no chance of the forecast being true for today so it should have been changed, yet it stayed the same.

I guess I'm just whining cause I didn't get my time today.

I think what Dave is saying, when the "Weather Forcast" has green arrows don't leave home until you have checked the "Live Weather Readings" further down the page, updated every 15 minutes i think. I wait for that first sign of arrows turning green and then head down. As you can see bellow it was about 3.30pm when i did a runner from work and had a great session by the time i got to the beach at 4.15pm.

Live Weather Readings

Graphs last updated at 9:05 pm, (2 minutes ago)

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Windmill said...
As you can see bellow it was about 3.30pm when i did a runner from work and had a great session by the time i got to the beach at 4.15pm.

4pm was my scheduled start time, I went to the beach anyway & it didn't seem to be enough wind.
What size kite were you on?

It sucks when that happens. Technically, the forecast was "correct", if you check the yesterday chart, you'll see a couple of the stations reached 20-23 knots, as predicted.

You'll find in Perth that when it gets super hot, the seabreeze doesn't always make it inland. Some days, it can make it 1km inland, and you can be having a wild time & it suddenly moves offshore.

You can be standing on the beach & see it whitecapping 1km offshore.

Checkout yesterdays graphs here..
www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/wa_yesterday.asp

As Windmill says, keep an eye on the liveobs to see if it hits.

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oceanfire said...

Windmill said...
As you can see bellow it was about 3.30pm when i did a runner from work and had a great session by the time i got to the beach at 4.15pm.

4pm was my scheduled start time, I went to the beach anyway & it didn't seem to be enough wind.
What size kite were you on?

12m Ozone Light XC / 141 twinny, had a ball

When there are larger troughs or fronts nearby the BOM haven't got a clue.

Further more, I believe they do not have enough historic data as the country is still in infancy.

The chances are 61% that if BOM get it wrong today they will get it wrong tomorrow....much like the wind.

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Windmill said...

I think what Dave is saying, when the "Weather Forcast" has green arrows don't leave home until you have checked the "Live Weather Readings" further down the page, updated every 15 minutes i think. I wait for that first sign of arrows turning green and then head down. As you can see bellow it was about 3.30pm when i did a runner from work and had a great session by the time i got to the beach at 4.15pm.

Live Weather Readings

Graphs last updated at 9:05 pm, (2 minutes ago)

To doublecheck, if you are in front of a computer anyway, you could also watch the live surfcam (Scarborough in my case)...if you spot a lot of kites then there is usually wind

http://www.coastalwatch.com/camera/cameras_large.aspx?state=WA&cam=7040

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ueberqwerty said...

Windmill said...

I think what Dave is saying, when the "Weather Forcast" has green arrows don't leave home until you have checked the "Live Weather Readings" further down the page, updated every 15 minutes i think. I wait for that first sign of arrows turning green and then head down. As you can see bellow it was about 3.30pm when i did a runner from work and had a great session by the time i got to the beach at 4.15pm.

Live Weather Readings

Graphs last updated at 9:05 pm, (2 minutes ago)

To doublecheck, if you are in front of a computer anyway, you could also watch the live surfcam (Scarborough in my case)...if you spot a lot of kites then there is usually wind

http://www.coastalwatch.com/camera/cameras_large.aspx?state=WA&cam=7040

If i was at home i would just look out my window, benefits of living opposite Scarborough beach. During the week though I'm usually working out on the road and the old i phone doesn't show live feeds