Barcelona World Race 2014-15 - Weather Forecast 31-Dec-2014

by Barcelona World Race on 1 Jan 2015 Barcelona World Race 2014-15 - Very light conditions are expected on the start line. Some puffs of lingering NWíly, mixed with a new, light and patchy S/SWíly filling up the coast through the afternoon four-eight knots. Eventually the SWíly will fill off Barcelona five-nine knots.

Synopsis
00Z Wednesday (31-Dec-2014):
1) Low pressure (1005mb) is over the western Med south of Greece and near
Crete.
2) A low pressure (1026mb) is located between Corsica and Hyeres, France.
3) High pressure (1038mb) is slow moving over central France with a
secondary high (1035mb) over central Spain and a another (1035mb) over
northwestern Algeria.
4) Mistral flow continues out of the Gulf of Lyon as a NNW/N wind. This
wind angle keeps the core of strong wind will offshore.
5) Along the Catalonian coast, the Mistral is manifest as a NW gradient
wind, moderate in strength except stronger out valleys ñ particularly
that of Rio Ebro. Strong NW winds are flowing out of the Ebro delta
region.

00Z Thursday (01-Jan-2015):
1) High pressure (1037mb) holds over central France and elongates east to
central Germany.
2) The Spanish high shifts west to off the Galician coast (1035mb) west
of Vigo.
3) Low pressure (1009mb) has developed over the central Med southeast of
Sicily, with a trough develop from the slow to south of Sardinia and
may extend to vicinity of Palma.
4) The Mistral will be weakening. Also, gradient flow will veer to be
more NNE/NE out of the Gulf of Lyon.

00Z Friday (02-JAN-2015):
1) A multi-center high pressure will be over southwestern Europe, the
southwestern Med and into Algeria. One high will be centered over
southwestern France (1037mb). A second high (1038mb) will be over
central Spain with a third over northwestern Algeria (1037mb).
2) SW to W winds will be over the Gulf of Valencia and Balearic Sea,
mainly light to moderate in strength. Coastal drainage winds are
likely overnight.
3) The gradient pattern will be weakening across the Balearic Sea,
southwestern Med, and into the Alboran Sea as high pressure shifts
across these waters.

00Z Saturday (03-Jan-2015:
1) High pressure (1037mb) will be over the Atlantic between Portugal and
the Azores. Another high (1037mb) will be over central Spain and
extend southeast into northern Algeria.
2) Light SW winds return over the Balearic Sea while a weak Eíly Levante
winds will be over the Alboran.
3) Light and variable winds under the high pressure will separate the
Balearic SWíly and the Alboran Eíly.
**************************************

General Forecast for Barcelona Waters:
>>> Race Start Forecast - Wednesday (31-Dec-2014) ***
The Mistral is backed NW to blow off the coast this morning, enhanced by
overnight drainage winds. Generally averaging 10-15 knots, the wind will be
puffy with lulls to 5 and gusts to 20 quite possible at times this morning.
From late morning, expected the NWíly to be generally easing and backing
left with time. Wind will tend 5-10 and possibly lighter under 5 at times
mid-day into early afternoon. Very light conditions are expected on the
start line. Some puffs of lingering NWíly, mixed with a new, light and
patchy S/SWíly filling up the coast through the afternoon four-eight knots.
Eventually the SWíly will fill off Barcelona five-nine knots.

Note that not too far down the coast, NW winds are expected to hold over
the waters south of Taragona to the Rio Ebro Delta much of the day.
After sunset, E/NE winds are expected to fill closer to shore, but they
will likely remain beyond 30nm. Closer to the shore SW winds will hold,
except veer W/NW right at the beach.

Weather: Cold. Mainly clear inshore in the morning, but convergence cloud
may develop offshore in the afternoon. Convergence cloud may shift closer
to shore in the evening, marking the transition between lighter winds in
shore and stronger NE/E winds offshore.
Temperatures: 4C to 12C
Seas: NW swell 0.5-0.8m inshore increasing to 1-1.5 to 2m offshore.
**************************************

General Forecast along race route
*** Thursday (01-JAN-2015) ***
>>> Gulf of Valencia - Balearic Sea: High pressure about halfway between
Valencia and Palma will result in an Anti-Cyclonic flow. S/SW 10-15 west of
the high, except lighter inshore and inner Gulf, especially morning. East
of the high, light W tending NW/N 4-8.
>>> SW Mediterranean: NE 8-13 easing 5-10. A local sea breeze on the
Spanish coast.
>>> Alboran Sea: Light and variable becoming ENE/E 10-15.
Seas: 1m NE swell offshore north of Ibiza, less than 0.5m inshore. 0.4-0.8m
SW Med and Alboran Sea.
Weather: Fine.

*** Friday (02-JAN-2015) ***
>>> Gulf of Valencia to Ibiza/Palma: SW 10-15 easing 5-10 through the day.
W/NW closer to Palma/Ibiza.
>>> SW Mediterranean: Generally light and variable. Light NW/W on the
Spanish coast tending SW 5-10.
>>> Alboran Sea: Generally E 10-13.
Seas: 0.5-1m
Weather: Event website