
The
Weather (GRIB) feature of Fugawi
Marine ENC Ver. 4 permits you to load GRIB format weather data as
an overlay on a chart or map. Fugawi Marine ENC also provides a convenient
function to retrieve current GRIB files for your area of interest by generating
an automatic email request through the free-of-charge Saildocs
service.
WARNING:
Most
GRIB files available are extracted from a computer forecast model. While
such computer data can provide useful guidance for general wind flow and
pressure systems, they are not necessarily reviewed and the data may not
be current or correct. Along shore, local effects may dominate. In addition,
the models cannot provide adequate prediction for tropical systems, frontal
activity or convergence zones. For hurricane/cyclone forecasts, carefully
monitor the appropriate warning messages and do not rely on GRIB data
from any source. GRIB data should be considered supplemental, and not
be relied upon in lieu of professionally-generated charts or forecasts.
Mariners are urged to use these data in conjunction with forecaster generated
forecasts.
The
following listing is provided to assist Fugawi Marine ENC Ver 4 users
with finding alternative GRIB and weather data on the web. Sources have
neither been verified nor endorsed by Northport Systems Inc.
GRIB
Data Sources:
More
Information:
Saildocs:
Saildocs
is provided without charge thanks to the support of Sailmail,
a membership-owned radio email service for cruising sailors which operates
a seamless network of 15 stations worldwide (including five covering the
Caribbean and Atlantic). More information on Saildocs is available by
sending an email to info@saildocs.com
which will return the how-to document (about 5K). Fugawi Marine ENC Ver
4. contains a convenient wizard which lets you easily create GRIB requests
for Saildocs.
Global
Marine Networks:
Global Marine Networks (GMN) offers 5 day wind forecasts of the world
as a public service via it's GRIB Mail Robot. The forecasts are generated
daily for every region of the world and give forecasts every 6 hours for
up to 5 days into the future. The forecasts are taken from the US National
Weather Service Wave Watch III model. GRIB forecasts are delivered via
e-mail.
How
it works:
1. Send a blank email to gmngrib@globalmarinenet.net
with various subjects as follows.
| 1.
Create a blank email to gmngrib@globalmarinenet.net
and copy the text below into the subject line, then send the email. |
2.
Wave data will be provided via return email
for the following region: |
Pacific |
Pacific
Region Forecast Data (includes Gulf of Alaska data) |
Atlantic |
West
Atlantic (US) Region Forecast Data |
CentralAtlantic |
Central
Atlantic Region Forecast Data |
Canada |
East
Canada Region Forecast Data |
Caribbean |
Caribbean
Basin and Gulf of Mexico |
Drake |
Drake
Passage |
EastAtlantic |
East
Atlantic Region Forecast Data |
GreatLakes |
Great
Lakes Region Forecast Data |
NorthEurope |
North
Europe Region Forecast Data |
Argentina |
Chile,
Argentina Region Forecast Data |
SouthAfrica |
South
Africa Region Forecast Data |
Brazil |
Brazil
Region Forecast Data |
NewZealand |
New
Zealand Region Forecast Data |
Mediterranean |
Mediterranean
Region Forecast Data |
Scandinavia |
Scandinavia
Region Forecast Data |
Barents |
Barents
Sea Region Forecast Data |
Baffin |
Baffin
Bay Region Forecast Data |
WAlaska |
West
Alaska Region Forecast Data |
Vancouver |
Vancouver
Region Forecast Data |
CentralNPacific |
Central
North Pacific Region Forecast Data |
CentralSPacific |
Central
South Pacific Region Forecast Data |
SSPacific |
South
Pacific Region Forecast Data |
CentralPacific |
Central
Pacific Region Forecast Data |
ChilePeru |
Chile
and Peru Region Forecast Data |
CentralAmerica |
Central
America Region Forecast Data |
SSAtlantic |
South
Atlantic Region Forecast Data |
Madagascar |
Madagascar
Region Forecast Data |
Indian |
Indian
Region Forecast Data |
NIndian |
North
Indian Region Forecast Data |
WKergelen |
West
Kergelen Region Forecast Data |
Kergelen |
Kergelen
Region Forecast Data |
SAustralia |
South
Australia Region Forecast Data |
IndonesiaAustralia |
Indonesia
and Australia Region Forecast Data |
IndonesiaNewZealand |
Indonesia
and New Zealand Region Forecast Data |
China |
China
Region Forecast Data |
WPacific |
West
Pacific Region Forecast Data |
NJapan |
North
Japan Region Forecast Data |
| The
Subjects above are CASE SENSITIVE. (Atlantic is correct but atlantic
is wrong.) |
2.
You will receive a return email with an attached GRIB file for the region
indicated.
3.
The GRIB data will be compressed using BZ2 compression. To uncompress
the files, you will need a BZ2 compatible compression utility such as
WinRAR (free).
4.
Specifying the a subject above will result in one email with a 24 hour
forecast. For example "Atlantic" will return an e-mail with a GRIB file
containing a 24 hour forecast. Alternately you can specify the time
of the forecast by entering the time after the key on the subject line.
Valid times are 6 to 126 hours. For example, entering "Atlantic 24 48
72" will result in 3 e-mails each containing a separate forecast for
the Atlantic region.
5.
To receive a single GRIB file with multiple forecasts (for animation),
then you can specify 1day, 2day, 3day, 4day, or 5day worth of weather
sampled at 6 hour intervals. For example, entering "Atlantic 3day" will
return one compressed GRIB file that contains 3 days worth of forecasts
on 6 hour intervals.
NOAA
Wave Model:
NOAA produces a Wave Forecast Model (WAVEWATCH
III) in GRIB file format. The most recent model results can be found
here ftp://polar.ncep.noaa.gov/pub/waves/latest_run/
Data
in the GRIB file may include: Wind direction (degr., oceanographical convention),
Wind speed (m/s), Wind U component (m/s), Wind V component (m/s), Significant
wave height (m), Mean wave direction (degr., oceanographical convention),
Mean wave period (s), Peak wave direction (degr., oceanographical convention),
Peak wave period (s), and Wind sea direction (degr., oceanographical convention).
Frank
Singleton:
Frank Singleton was a senior forecaster with the
UK Met Office. He cruises a Hallberg Rassy 34. He is a life member of
the Royal Meteorological Society and maintains an informative page on
Marine Weather here: http://www.franksingleton.clara.net/home.html
NOAA
Marine Forecasts:
For up to date marine forecast information, provided by NOAA, see: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/home.htm
UK
Met Office Shipping Forecasts:
For up to date marine forecast information, provided by the UK Met Office,
see: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/datafiles/offshore.html
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