MAE Wind Direction

MAE Wind Direction is the mean absolute error, in degrees, between a forecast wind direction and the observed wind direction at sea or on the coast. It shows the average directional miss of a forecast model; for example, a 20° MAE means the forecast was typically 20° away from the measured wind direction, accounting for the circular compass scale.

For boaters, directional error affects sail trim, laylines, sea room, anchoring comfort and fuel-efficient routing. A small error may be acceptable when motoring offshore, but critical when beating into a channel or planning a tack. Compare it with Wind Direction, Forecast Accuracy, and Weather Routing when judging risk.

PredictWind uses model verification metrics such as MAE to help assess forecast performance across models and locations. Reviewing several models in the Forecast App, web forecasts, or Offshore App can highlight whether wind shifts are consistent, supporting better decisions alongside Wind Observations.