• Sailing is all about the Weather.

    Big into the exploration of Atlantic Hurricanes since Katrina came uninvited into his world, James (Jim) Gurley (JamesG161) has followed every Tropical Storm birthed in Atlantic, Gulf and Caribbean waters since. Being a boater, he knows that we often need more time to prepare than we get from the TV weather folk. Jim relies on the science of storm development to share early warning info with friends and fellow boaters.

    Early in 2018, Jim and John Shepard, (JSSailem) started to chat about the weather data available. John asked Jim to help forecast Pacific NW storms, and this morphed into discussions on weather forecasting.

    For John, sailing in the PNW is sometimes hit and miss. One day is ugly, then a string of beautiful days but no wind, followed by a series of blue-sky days and 12 knot breezes. Being ready for those great sailing days means you need to look to the Pacific Ocean and what is brewing. John has been into Pacific NW Weather since the 1970’s when his first PNW November storm hit bringing more than 40 days and 40 nights of continual rain.

    Together we want to share information, new APPs, safety, and thoughts about letting the weather help you. Identify some of the resources for sailors and help prepare you for your next sailboat outing.

    It is far better to go out on the water knowing what to expect in weather terms, than to be out on the water and see dark ominous clouds suddenly appear, unprepared.

August is celestial events month.

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,260
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
4 Amazing Astronomical Events happen this month.
  • On August 9, the Full Sturgeon Moon will light up the night sky.
    • 1754326701274.png
    • According to the Farmer's Almanac, Native Americans, Colonial Americans, and European sources gave the full moon of the month a name to reflect the time of the season. August was the time of the Sturgeon Moon.
    • The Sturgeon Moon
      The name Sturgeon Moon comes from the giant lake sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain; this native freshwater fish was readily caught during this part of summer and an important food staple for Native Americans who lived in the region. At one time, the lake sturgeon was quite abundant in late summer, though they are rarer today.

  • CELESTIAL ALIGNMENT
    • In the early morning of August 10, about an hour before sunrise, six planets — Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn — will align in the sky. Four of them will be easily visible to the naked eye.
1754327718262.png

  • CELESTIAL CONJUNCTION
    • A spectacular conjunction of Venus and Jupiter will occur in the early morning hours of August 12th. Look toward the eastern horizon before sunrise to catch this stunning sight.
1754327870507.png

  • Finally the PERSEID METEOR SHOWER
    • From the night of August 12 to the early hours of August 13, the famous Perseid meteor shower — one of the best of the year — will reach its peak, producing up to 100 shooting stars per hour. For the best view, find a dark location and watch during the pre-dawn hours.
1754327973559.png


Plan your time to enjoy these Universe experiences.