what free weather service(s) do you use

[rufus1138]

well, the title has it all, i use noaa with a huge grain of salt, accuweather also with a slightly smaller grain of salt, and sailflow on high recommendation but becoming a big grain of salt for the predictions.

before the discussion really gets going im going to say from the get-go that all pay services are disqualified. and the most important ones are obviously wind and sea-state since the weather can largely be gleaned from publicly available radar.

 

[Sailm8]

wunderground.com

 

[Rob19574]

it depends on your needs here. I mainly sail coastal / bay trips and day trips. I use a free app called MyRadar and it works very well. I can actually predict my own local forecasts and events off it (rain / storms, etc) . You don't get wind speed / direction but I don't need that if I'm on the boat already

 

[Bob S]

Windfinder is pretty cool especially if you want to look back a few days.

http://www.windfinder.com/forecast/buzzards_bay

 

[Ted]

My 94 year old grandmother could predict the weather better than most meteorologists. It wasn't exactly free as she demanded a kiss every time she predicted correctly.

Second best free service is Windfinder.com. (Not nearly as accurate as grandma though.)

 

[Chief RA]

I checked windfinder.com and that looks great! Thanks guys Chief

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Wunderground.com and MYRadar

Actually, on my Iphone it's I.wund.com. It'll ask to use your current location.

 

[gettinthere]

We use passageweather routinely on our coastal cruising. Pretty good for weather guessers.

 

[David in Sandusky]

Sail Flow

I use Sail Flow for a good, detailed wind forecast.

 

[RichH]

We use passageweather routinely on our coastal cruising. Pretty good for weather guessers.

Ditto on passageweather.

For better PRECISE Wx in the caribbean basin, GofMex., and SE US coastal up to "Hatteras", you can listen in to Chris Parker / Caribbean Weather starting at about 630AM ET on 4.043 mHz SSB USB .... the absolute 'best'.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Ditto on passageweather.

For better PRECISE Wx in the caribbean basin, GofMex., and SE US coastal up to "Hatteras", you can listen in to Chris Parker / Caribbean Weather starting at about 630AM ET on 4.043 mHz SSB USB .... the absolute 'best'.

Yabut damn- sometimes that 0630 is EARLY!!!

Very good forecasting from him. Include the Bahamas in there too. Once away from Nassau, there ain't much to be had otherwise

 

[RichH]

Not a problem, mon. Drink until noon instead of midnight. Its warmer sleeping during daylight, and the cool air after midnight wont warm up and spoil a 'neat' scotts whiskey as fast.

 

[Kermit]

My 94 year old grandmother could predict the weather better than most meteorologists. It wasn't exactly free as she demanded a kiss every time she predicted correctly. Second best free service is Windfinder.com. (Not nearly as accurate as grandma though.)

Now that's funny. And Grandma had more incentive to get get her forecast right. Weathermen get paid regardless of their accuracy. And I'm sure Grandma appreciated those kisses even more.

 

[Nereussailor]

wunderground........again