Understanding about Marine Weather Forecasts

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Preamble

Getting weather forecasts is only the start. Understanding and knowing how best to use forecasts is the real problem. Here, I give my advice based on what we do, and some background. There are several aspects to understanding and using the specialist services that come under the broad umbrella of marine weather forecasts. First, what forecasts are available and appropriate for your purposes; understanding the terms used; how to make best use of them. Single observer forecasting has a long history, what is wrong with it? Why not carry on using it as has been done for thousands of years?

• Which forecast is best for my kind of sailing?
  • BBC Shipping and Inshore Waters Forecasts
    
• How do I set about using forecasts for sailing?
  
  • What do the words mean in a marine forecast?
    
  • How can I understand forecasts when in French waters?
    
  • Why do they use these hectoPacal things?
    
  • Why do they sometimes say "perhaps a gale"? Aren't they sure?
• What is wrong with using my own observations to forecast?
  
• Is knowledge of the jet stream helpful to sailors?

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