Weather and Gulfstream Resources

The National Weather Service’s Environmental Modeling Center and home to the Global Real Time Ocean  Forecast System model (RTOFS). This site is no longer maintained but contains some useful information on model characteristics. Global RTOFS High Resolution Oceanic Model (weather.gov) .  provides up-to-date model results. Since many use this model in routing it’s useful to compare model results to direct satellite observations to develop confidence in model simulations. This model provides  1/12 degree resolution and is the result of collaboration between NOAA and the U.S. Navy Research  Laboratory and others. Also see: https://ocean.weather.gov/Loops/ocean_guidance.php?model=NCOM&area=Useast&plot=current&day=1& loop=0  

A site maintained by Rutgers University which includes a variety of satellite data some specific to the Gulf  Stream. Also see the coastal current data provided by CODAR . These latter data will be of value to those  transiting the Jersey shoreline. Similar data are available at LISICOS.uconn.edu for the area off Montauk  Point. Entry to the site may be confusing at first. From the main menu select Data to find Satellites and  then Satellite Data and select the region of interest. The products now are all are derived from the GOES  16 satellite providing lower Stream detail than available at this site in the past when NOAA 18 was used.

This product from the Ocean Prediction Center showing average sea surface temperatures over 4  days is a good way to monitor Gulf Stream evolution. Another site using GOES 16 images.

The home of the Mercator-Ocean International (MOI) Daily Global Physical Bulletin. This provides the results of their 1/12o(horizontal resolution) model detailing a number of parameters including sea surface temperature and currents. Comparisons of this model with observations and both the NOAA altimetry based model and the NOAA GROFS results show it to be very accurate. See Animations for an excellent way to evaluate the rate of temporal changes.

This is a dynamic link that can be used to obtain a plot of the surface currents at selected location as  specified using the highlighted Lat and Lon coordinates and the appropriate year, month and day. These  data are the result of using satellite altimetry observations to model currents. (Requires JAVA on your  computer). Although application requires care these model results allow analysis of Gulf Stream conditions  when cloud cover limits direct observation of SST. These model data also provide the best indication of  conditions in the Sargasso Sea from the Stream to Bermuda. This model result and those above  (GRTOFS etc) require study to assess navigational utility. Comparison with surface thermal data (e.g.  Rutgers above) and any direct observations of surface currents is recommended. This link and the utility of  the numerous parameters (e.g. contour, currents, velfield, bathy etc.) warrants careful study.

Bermuda Weather’s site. Provides continuing weather analyses and forecasts for the immediate vicinity of  the island. It’s often interesting to compare these observations to conditions indicated by the larger area  weather maps such as the NWS weatherfax charts of the northwest Atlantic. Also, see Yacht Charts under  Marine Forecast as well as tidal data for Bermuda.

The source for Canadian weather and sea state analyses and forecasts.

This data allows direct confirmation of wind speeds and directions provided by the Surface Analyses from the National Weather Service and the variety of GRIB model data. The scatterometer data are often particularly useful near the Gulf  Stream. This system represents the alternative to our QuikScat which is no longer operational. 

A listing of tidal elevations and tidal currents at a number of stations throughout the U.S. Particularly useful for coastal and nearshore passages

For those wishing to look at the conditions during previous races this provides an archive of the NWS data back to the 1950s. 

Home of the Euro model. Comparisons of the forecast provided by this model to those provided by the U.S. GFS model in combination with observed conditions can increase confidence in model products.