www.iFourWinns.com

We were having a good discussion on shooting across Lake Michigan where I had posted a few sites i reference for BIG WATER wind and wave data so I thought I might get everyone's attention and re-post a few. These are great sources of info and not just for us in the States, so here goes.

For worldwide buoy data, check out this link and click on the buoys in your area. There will be data for dominant wave height, wind chop, wave period, water temp, Wind speed & direction, gust info, etc, as well as historical data. I keep buoy 45007 (southern Lake Michigan Bouy) on my desktop as a widget. Keep in mind that some buoys get hauled out for winter or maintenance but there is a "maintenance" link that will give you re-depoly dates when they become available.

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/

In the Great Lakes region you can get wind forecasts going out a day and a half in 1 hour increments, as well as water temp, current, etc. This link will get you to the main page. Look on the left margin and pick your Great Lake. When you get to that page, look below the map and you will see icons for the various parameters. Below each icon you will see "NOWCAST" and "FORECAST GUIDANCE". Nowcast is what has and is happening. Forecast Guidance goes into the future with animation. This is my favorite link. I use this data in conjunction with data on surface highs and lows to know if the trend will continue or if a change is coming.

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ofs/glofs.html

Same link for Chesapeake Bay area:

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ofs/cbofs/cbofs.html

Same link for Galveston Bay:

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ofs/gbofs/gbofs.html

Same link for New York & New Jersey:

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ofs/nyofs/nyofs.html

Same link for the St Johns River, Jacksonville, Fla.:

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ofs/sjofs/sjofs.html

Another great site is http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/nowcoast.html

My guess is that as time goes by, more areas will be added. Be Weather Safe!

I'm interested to know if anyone else has other sites that are useful. I used to know a couple of really good sat/rad sites that showed cloud top elevations, wind speed, front velocity and lightening & hail activity but they moved, went defunct or are now pay sites. Any suggestions?

I used to have a couple but then my laptop had a meltdown (no current back up)... I lost the links and don't remember what they were. Computers are great until something like this happens and POOF!... all that info is lost.
Your link is great. I saved it last night and promptly backed up my hard drive.
Thanks.

_________________

"ROCKHOUND"
2005 Vista 298
Georgian Bay, Ontario.