Bob Blog 21 April

WEATHERGRAM

YOTREPS

 

Compiled  Easter Sun 21 April 2019

Happy Easter .

 

Bob McDavitt’s ideas for sailing around the South Pacific.

Disclaimer: Weather is a mix of pattern and chaos; these ideas are from the patterned world.

 

Here is an addendum to last weeks tips for cruising yachts:

1. If you are subscribed to or following weathergram@cruisersat.net or weathergram_short@cruisersat.net, then, if you wish to only receive the weathergram (and not messages from other users) you can mute other calls by sending MUTE ON to the net address. To unmute, send MUTE OFF.

2. Note that Gulf Harbour Radio ZMH286 runs independently from YiT. It is NOT necessary for boats to be on YiT before they can talk to Gulf Harbour Radio. If you are registered with YiT then you can send your reports to send@yit.co.nz and they can be seen by Gulf Harbour Radio. Also Gulf Harbour Radio has a net on cruisersnet, see cruisersat.net/nets.

3. The Windy.com app (free of charge) has a planned route plot option.

To make one: "right click" anywhere on the map, this will open a small context window;

- choose "Distance & Planning"; - place your points on the map;

- in the "table of points" you just made, click the button label "share" in the bottom right corner;

- copy the short url link provided or the long URL in the top of your browser and "voilà"!

You can also make one by building the URL manually if you are familiar with this.

Each time you plug this "short" or "long url" in your browser, Windy will show the map and your planned route.

4. YiT, Yachts in Transit, at www.yit.nz has a smart phone app, and offers a subscription service to plot your reports and blogs on the web and to request weather information via coded emails. They also provide info on how to use iridium Go!, YB Tracking or Garmin inReach for communications.

5. Saildocs also offers High sea forecast via email:

Send an email, no subject necessary, to query@saildocs.com with message

SEND nadi.sopac or SEND nz.subtrop

6 Fiji Fleet code. Can get a manual weather analysis map via EMAIL.

To download the latest Nadi Fleet code send an email to query@saildocs.com, no subject needed, saying SEND nadi-fleetcode.

Or SEND https://tgftp.nws.noaa.gov/data/raw/as/asps20.nffn..txt

This can be viewed with the Fleet Code plug in OpenCPN.

Open the email and (on a PC) <Right> click on the data, <copy> or CTRL-C. Then, in OpenCPN’s Fleet code plugin, there are 4 options: Files, Text, Raw and Downloads. Select Raw and <paste> or CTRL-V. Voila!, the map appears.

I still have a copy of the old, no longer supported, Fleet code viewing program called PhysPlot. If you want to try it, let me know.

7. AIS: the AIS system allows tracking via relay and via Satellite, but the display online of that oceanic data is restricted by subscription to sites such as marinetraffic.com.

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THE TROPICS

It id quiet in the tropics at present, with latest cyclone activity seen at tropic.ssec.wisc.edu and TCFP tropical Cyclone Formation Potential at www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/TCFP/index.html

The monsoon that was active over northern Australia last week has dissipated, and the transition to the dry season is underway. There is a weak pulse of MJO over the Indian Ocean.

Rain in the past week continued strong over Vanuatu, and built in the Indian Ocean. The “mirror CZ” continues just south of the equator in the eastern Pacific, affecting those sailing between Galapagos and Marquesas.

For rain in the past two weeks see trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/trmm_rain/Events/big_global_accumlation.gif

 

WEATHER ZONES

SPCZ=South Pacific Convergence zone.

The SPCZ has been active between Vanuatu and Fiji, but this section is expected to waken this week. The SPCZ is expected to build in activity along about 17S from Fiji to Tahiti. 

A trough in the northern Tasman Sea is expected to travel east across New Caledonia tonight and during Monday and then fade on Tuesday.

 

Subtropical ridge (STR)

HIGH to east of NZ is expected to travel east along about 35S.

HIGH in mid-Tasman Sea on Monday is expected to stay pit until it is reinforced by another High on Wednesday and then fade as it shifts north to 30S by Friday, allowing westerly winds to also shift north.

 

Australia/Tasman Sea / New Zealand

A slack low is expected to bring heavy shower activity to northern NZ on Monday and Tuesday and travel off to the east on Wednesday then southeast on Thursday.

Deep Southern Ocean Low is expected to travel east along about 55S to south of Tasmania and Tasman Sea from Thu to Sat with vigorous west to SW winds as far north as 35S and large swell going to 30S. Avoid.

North of 30S winds are expected to be mainly from east or SE, Ok for going from Noumea to Australia.

 

Panama to Marquesas

Gulf of Panama is expected to have northerly winds this week, so it’s ok to go. ITCZ has been active between 6N and 3N. This week it is looking OK to go to NW of Galapagos and then SW to around 5S 110W.

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If you would like more detail for your voyage, then check metbob.com to see what I offer.

Or Facebook at /www.facebook.com/metbobnz/

Weathergram with graphics is at metbob.wordpress.com (subscribe/unsubscribe at bottom).

Weathergram archive (with translator) is at weathergram.blogspot.co.nz.

Contact is bob@metbob.com or txt 6427 7762212

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