Wind Observations

Wind observations are real-time or recently recorded measurements of wind speed, direction and gust behaviour at a vessel, buoy, marina or coastal weather station. In a marine context, they show what the wind is actually doing over the water, rather than what a forecast model predicts for a future time.

For boaters, comparing observations with forecasts helps decide when to reef, depart, anchor or alter course. A rising Wind Speed, shifting Wind Direction or unexpected Wind Gust can affect sail selection, fuel range, harbour entry and crew safety, especially near headlands, fronts or squalls.

In PredictWind, nearby observations can be viewed alongside model forecasts to validate local conditions before committing to a route. They are especially useful when checking high-resolution coastal forecasts such as 1km Wind Maps, where terrain and sea-breeze effects may vary significantly over short distances.