GFS

GFS (Global Forecast System) is a global numerical weather prediction model run by NOAA/NCEP and widely used in marine forecasting. In a boating context, GFS provides gridded forecasts for wind, pressure, rain, temperature and other atmospheric fields that help describe conditions over coastal and offshore waters.

For sailors and power boaters, GFS is useful for identifying weather windows, frontal changes, trade-wind patterns and developing lows before committing to a passage. It is commonly delivered as GRIB data and compared with another Forecast Model to improve Forecast Confidence for routing and safety decisions.

In PredictWind, GFS can be viewed alongside models such as ECMWF in forecast maps, tables, graphs, Weather Routing and Departure Planning. Offshore users can download GFS GRIBs in the Offshore App via satellite, giving crews a consistent global baseline forecast when beyond mobile coverage.