The Right Weather For Boating
Cruising on your favorite body of water is a great way to spend time in the great outdoors, whether you’re looking for thrills or just a nice fish dinner. And knowing the weather ahead of time is vital to knowing just how much time you can spend boating, and in what ways. No matter your boat or goal, weather conditions like high winds, heavy rain, freezing temperatures, or extreme heat will have an effect on your plans.
Lucky for you, we here at L&M Marine LLC know a bit about boating weather! We’ve put together this guide to help you figure out if it’s safe to head out on the water.
If you’d like more tips, or you’re looking for a boat to take out when the weather is favorable, contact our store in Stapleton, Alabama. Our friendly and experienced staff will help you find what you need at the prices you want!
Check The Forecast
Modern technology lets us predict weather more accurately and further out than ever before. Keep an eye on weather forecasts in the days leading up to your voyage—two to three days out balances accuracy with giving you time to plan. Your default weather app on your mobile device is handy, but there are apps dedicated to how weather affects boating that will provide more useful details. These tend to be free to download, with the opportunity for in-app purchases for expanded functionality.
Even with this specialized app, it’s best to check with multiple sources. Radio and TV weather stations, newspapers, and even your thermometer at home can provide additional data to give you a more complete picture of the conditions as they are and will be. A barometer is a handy tool for this as well, which we’ll cover more in-depth in the section below.
Remember to check for weather updates regularly leading up to and during your trip to make sure nothing sneaks up on you. Be prepared to reschedule or, if you’re already out, return to the dock if there are signs of nasty weather.
Use A Barometer
Every captain needs to own a barometer and understand how to use it. Barometers are instruments that measure changes in atmospheric pressure, which are an excellent indicator for upcoming changes in the weather. This way, you can check your own findings against the forecast to see if your area is in more or less danger of inclement weather than your weather person predicted!
For optimal results, read your barometer every six hours and record the number. Some barometers have features that allow you to track changes on the instrument itself, like an adjustable pointer. If yours doesn’t include that, just keep a handwritten log. Whenever you take a reading, compare it to the previous one to see how the pressure has changed.
Next, you’ll need to interpret these numbers and changes. This can be done by consulting a barometer chart. These charts are organized by the degree and rate of change, according to the season. Generally speaking, falling pressure and east winds indicate unpleasant weather, while increasing pressure and west winds indicate clearing and more pleasant weather.
Mark One Eyeball
As great as modern technology can be, sometimes your best tools are the ones you’re born with. Especially once your voyage is underway, your own senses can be great indicators of impending weather changes. If you see a storm in the distance, you can track its movement relative to your own to figure out if you’re converging. Stand with your back to the wind and point left to find the storm’s center.
If you see lightning, listen for how long it takes the thunder to crash. Count between the flash and the thunder and compare it to how long the next delay is. If the delay gets shorter, the storm is moving towards you. Thunder travels about one mile per second, so you can also determine how far the storm is from you that way.
Keep an eye on the clouds. Dark clouds are heavy and ready to burst into rainfall, while lighter and wispy clouds are relatively safe. Clouds nearer the ground show you weather in your immediate area, while clouds higher up show you the weather a few hours away. Keep an eye on their movement and the direction of the wind. If the wind changes in a counterclockwise direction, foul weather is on the way. Clockwise changes indicate clearing.
Weather Warnings
Pay close attention to severe weather warnings from the National Weather Service, and listen for sirens. Small craft advisories are especially significant to boat operations. These indicate sustained wind speeds or frequent gusts between 20 to 33 knots (24 to 37 mph). Boats under 64 feet in length risk capsizing in these conditions. Postponing your trip is always favorable to losing your boat or, worse yet, getting hurt.
We hope you found this information useful! If you want to know more, or you’re looking for a new boat, contact us at L&M Marine LLC. We proudly serve the people of Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida—let us serve you today!