Label : GRIB

Predict storms with Weather4D

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In Weather4D (all versions) most weather models provide a data called CAPE.

Convective Available Potential Energy, in French : Energie potentielle de convection disponible. Behind this obscure acronym hides a powerful storm forecasting tool. CAPE is measured in Joules per kilogram of air (J/Kg) and defines the vertical buoyancy energy of a hot air particle in a colder atmosphere. In other words, vertical acceleration of the air particle will be directly related to this energy measurement. Read more …

New major evolution of the GFS model

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NOAA (¹) annouced on 22 March a major upgrade to its weather forecasting model GFS.

For the first time, the Global Forecasting System (GFS), NOAA's flagship weather forecast model (¹) will be coupled with the global wave model Wave Watch III (WW3), produced by the CMNF (Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center), which will extend the current forecast of waves from 7 down to 16 days and improve the prediction of ocean waves forced by the atmosphere. Read more …

Sea state : interpret wave patterns

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In Weather4D, as generally in other applications, sea ​​state forecasts are described by ocean models. The most used is the model WW3 (Wave Watch III), published by FNMOC (Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center) of the US Navy, with a global model due to 7 days and resolution 1° (60NM), and a Europe model to 3 days and resolution 0.2° (12NM). Météo-France publish the models MFAUM (Wave Assimilated Model) coupled with the ARPEGE and AROME weather models with three resolutions : Global at 0.5° (30NM), Europe at 0.1° (6NM), France at 0.025° (1,5NM) with variable deadlines (¹). Read more …

Routing : from game to reality (continue)

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Friday 13 November will not be a lucky day for the Vendée Globe skippers 2020 (¹). They will have to negotiate the encounter with tropical storm "Theta" which crosses their course with average winds that can reach the 40 nodes and powerful bursts. Above all, the sea will be to be feared because, strongly crossed as they passed the centre of the low pressure system, Waves may exceed 6 meters and break in a chaotic way. Read more …

Routing : from game to reality

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On the second day of racing of this Vendée Globe 2020, we can say that the weather conditions that the skippers will experience on the descent towards the Doldrums will be particularly tough. After a departure in a damned weather, A first weak cold front passed without incident, The Solitaires will cross a second, much more violent front during the night and morning from Tuesday to Wednesday, for the group that went to the West, and in the evening for the group passed between the DST (¹) and Gallicia.

But these upcoming conditions are very different for Virtual Regatta players and For sailors… Read more …

ECMWF weather data soon open to public [2rd part]

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Source : The Parliament Mag par Umberto Modigliani, ECMWF Deputy Director of Forecasts, responsible, with the department director, continuous production of forecasts and relations with users.

Early October, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) will take a big step forward by making hundreds of its forecast maps available to everyone free of charge.
The changes are part of a broader European initiative to make public sector data free and open, encourage innovation and support a thriving data-driven digital economy.

Thus far, full access to these forecast maps was restricted to the national meteorological and hydrological services of the Member States and the ECMWF Cooperating States, to members of the World Meteorological Organization and commercial customers. Access was subject to a series of customized licenses and high royalties.

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ECMWF weather data soon open to public [1st part]

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Created in 1975 at the initiative of members of the European Union, the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast is an independent intergovernmental organization whose headquarters, until this day, is located in Reading, England. ECMWF is funded by 22 Member States and 12 Associated states. It employs nearly 350 persons, and its supercomputer equipment is one of the largest in Europe. For the past fifteen years or so, ECMWF forecasts tend to be among the most accurate in the world, according to verification data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). ECMWF is currently headed by French meteorologist Florence Rabier, who worked at the local meteorological office of Météo-France.

But, since the advent of Brexit, The situation has changed. The United Kingdom is no longer part of the EU, ECMWF must move to a European country, and this could lead to, For weather data users, consequences rather… Positive ! Read more …

Iridium Mail & Web app : GRIB weather files on iPhone and iPad in open sea [Update-2]

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[Update 15 February 2019] The recent update of the application Iridium Mail & Web app gives me the opportunity to refresh this post originally written in December 2011.

The Wi-Fi Gateway Optimizer from RedPort allows owners of a mobile satellite phone to make requests and receive GRIB weather files from an iPad or iPhone on the high seas, into the wild, anywhere on the world.

After implementing and testing this solution On a long journey, It proved to be perfectly operational. However, it is limited to the receipt of the forecasts of the GFS weather model worldwide, and the wave pattern WW3, obtained by the American server's autoresponder Saildocs.

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Weather4D 2.0.11 A bunch of new features and improvements

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Delivered in AppStore this morning after two weeks of revisions and contre-revisions of Apple services, Always more picky, The new version is finally available. On the menu and in bulk : AIS via internet with AISHub, direct access to Geogarage and cache memory chart management, new model of GRIB weather forecast from Meteo-France AROME HD for inshore races, Full-screen mode, advanced distance calculations, the most visible. Under the hood also a lot of optimization for routing and power consumption. Detailed review to follow… Read more …