We are there!!!

[TomY]

Weather is fascinating living on the coast of Maine. For years I was confounded by it until I learned through experience; weather on the coast is largely about the North Atlantic Ocean, 600 feet to my South.

She runs cold through the long winter and stores that immense energy. It can be balmy a few miles inland while you'll want a jacket or two (and layers) as you approach the sea.

She is beginning to give it up: Today was a milestone, I noticed the NOAA buoy near by broke the magic number, 50F. That's a yardstick for me.

You'll note that just above that 50.5F water temperature, the air is 49.1F. And so it reads on the thermometer out my kitchen window.

My last sail of 2018 was the end of October. Summers heat stored in the ocean water was stretching the season. It was warmer on the water than it is today, first of June.

I'm painting the bottom of my boat today, the last chore before launch.

 

[dlochner]

Maybe it is time to move to balmy Maine.

Lake Ontario water temperature is 37.8, with air temp at 42.4 and dew point 42.1. And this is with a SW wind.

https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=45012

 

[SG]

 

[TomY]

Maybe it is time to move to balmy Maine.

Lake Ontario water temperature is 37.8, with air temp at 42.4 and dew point 42.1. And this is with a SW wind.

https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=45012

Wow!! How long does it take to warm up, Dave? What is the typical summer temperature of Lake Ontario?

I count our sailing season as 5 months as the ocean water temperature graph shows:

While it is very comfortable on the water even in late October, it starts to change rapidly in November as the water temperature plummets. November 17, 2018:

 

[dlochner]

Wow!! How long does it take to warm up, Dave? What is the typical summer temperature of Lake Ontario?

Once the surface temperature reaches 39° it starts to warm quickly. By mid July it will be around 75° or at least the top 10 feet of water will be that warm, provided it stops raining and the sun comes out. There have been times when the nuke plants had to shut down because the lake was too warm and wasn't able to cool the turbines enough to make them efficient. Another buoy on the Canadian side of the lake about 25 to the NE is warmer. The temperature is 45.7.

Part of the issue is the unique property of water that it gets denser as it cools until 39° F and then it becomes less dense. Surface temperature in the winter is ~32° thus in the spring as the water warms, it sinks driving up colder water when the water column finally reaches 39° and this stops; the warmer less dense water stays on top, unless there is a strong wind which will cause local upwelling of colder water. When there is a cold north wind, we on the south shore enjoy warmer water temps, but colder air, as the warm surface waters are blown south. On the north shore, a south wind drives the warm surface water north and the air remains relatively warm.

Kingston, Ontario, in the NE corner of the lake is noted for its thermal winds. With a modest SW wind the warm water and warmer land temps cause strong thermal winds. The sailing events for the Montreal Olympics were held in Kingston for this reason.

 

[capta]

You'll note that just above that 50.5F water temperature, the air is 49.1F. And so it reads on the thermometer out my kitchen window.

Even down here it has been exceptionally cool some nights. Actually needed a sheet the other night.
Would you please post the site you get the buoy info off. Perhaps there are some around here we can use?

 

[dlochner]

Even down here it has been exceptionally cool some nights. Actually needed a sheet the other night.
Would you please post the site you get the buoy info off. Perhaps there are some around here we can use?

Here ya go: https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov

Every weather buoy in the world. Pick your spot.

 

[capta]

Here ya go: https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov

Every weather buoy in the world. Pick your spot.

Thank you. Well, I guess we are even south of buoys down here; the nearest one is over 470nm away from us. Too bad.

 

[dlochner]

Thank you. Well, I guess we are even south of buoys down here; the nearest one is over 470nm away from us. Too bad.

It looks like the buoys are placed to track specific weather patterns or to provide current conditions for shipping.
Notice the line of buoys at about 15° S. And near the equator in the Pacific.

 

[Randy Rohrbeck]

According to the City of Syracuse Skaneateles Lake is currently a balmy 50 degrees. Be a while before there's much swimming.

 

[capta]

It looks like the buoys are placed to track specific weather patterns or to provide current conditions for shipping.
Notice the line of buoys at about 15° S. And near the equator in the Pacific.

Considering the amount of shipping headed to and from the canal in Panama, not to mention the rig support craft that frequent that area, one would think it a good place to put a buoy or two.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Weather guy last night showed Gulf of Mexico, just out from Matagorda bay, water temps 82 degrees Currently 90 ashore.

 

[dlochner]

According to the City of Syracuse Skaneateles Lake is currently a balmy 50 degrees. Be a while before there's much swimming.

There's a big difference between Skaneateles Lake and Lake Ontario, however the basic water temp cycle is pretty much the same. Ontario, being many times larger than Skaneateles is a much larger heat sink and takes longer to warm.

Fun Facts: Syracuse receives it's water from Skaneateles Lake. The lake is so clean and pure there is no fine filtration. It is one of the very few municipal water supplies that can make this claim. There is a course filtration and the water is chlorinated, but that's it. It is also a gravity fed water supply.

http://www.syracuse.ny.us/Water_FAQs.aspx

 

[Bob J.]

Been a cold spring, even here in western nh. Being far enough inland this time of year its usually 10-15 degrees warmer than the coast.
I think we had 3 good days in a row (memorial day weekend) with temps in the upper 70's. Looking forward to warmer weather!!

 

[jssailem]

The Juan D’Fuca Strait.
Air Temperature: 57.7 F
Water Temperature: 51.4 F
Typical Summer Temps...
Winter water temps as well.
And folk wonder why we wear warm gear...

Oh and the wind is blowing 14-18 knots.

 

[Jackdaw]

Please don’t get me started on Superior.

 

[TomY]

Bending on sails yesterday brief periods of sun combined with some west in the sea breeze fired up the air into the sweating hot zone.

It's a trick from mother nature! Once out on the water the South breeze, with no land warming effect, becomes 50 degrees - same as the sea temperature.

But the season has begun. I watched a bunch of kids sail an engineless Rhodes Astro onto their mooring. A coastal Maine scene for sure, given away if only by the typical sailing garb.

Things are behind in our harbor due to the cooler, wetter than usual, spring.

I was the only boat on the public docks yesterday as I bent on 3 sails. This PC took advantage of empty docks to tie up on Saturday.

They have been out for weeks and emphasized how important their Dickerson heater has been.

 

[agprice22]

Even Seneca Lake is still 49 F at night and up to 51 F in the day right now. Great wind though! We are getting strong 10-15 knots with gusts over 20. That is unusual, and we are enjoying it.