Six things you need to know about wind warnings at sea
Every boater needs to be aware of the winds and how to interpret and act on the warnings, explains BOMWhen a wind warning is issued by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), marine radio operators and the media will broadcast the latest forecast information on marine radio. If you are out on the water, keep your ear tuned into the following six wind warning features to ensure you arrive home safely.
1. When will the wind warning conditions start:
2. What speed will the wind reach: A Strong Wind Warning starts at 26 knots, and a Gale Warning starts at 34 knots. As a skipper, you need to be aware of what wind conditions your vessel can handle, and take steps to avoid times with stronger winds.
3. What area is the wind warning for: The Bureau will specify which areas of the State are affected by the wind warning. As a skipper, you should be familiar with the names of the Bureau’s Coastal Waters zones before you head out on your trip.
4. What direction will the wind be from:
5. Is there any bad weather expected:
6. When will the warning conditions cease: Knowing how long the wind warning may last will help skippers determine their risk management plans. The Bureau’s forecast indicates when winds are expected to ease.
Upon hearing of a wind warning, skippers should seek further information from the Bureau’s forecasts via marine radio (VHF or HF) or the Bureau’s website.
The Bureau’s forecast may indicate if the wind speeds will be stronger offshore compared to inshore.
WIND WARNING GUIDE
Strong wind warning: Winds averaging from 26 knots and up to 33 knots.
Gale warning: Winds averaging from 34 knots and up to 47 knots.
Storm force wind warning: Winds averaging from 48 knots and up to 63 knots.
Hurricane force wind warning: Winds averaging 64 knots or more.
The Bureau’s marine wind maps on MetEye enable you to obtain a detailed wind forecast for the area you are planning to operate in. In these cases, skippers should exercise additional caution just in case conditions worsen suddenly.
This article was compiled wiht information from the Bureau of Meteorology. More from BOM on Marine and Ocean forecasting.
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
