Education Event: Weather Forecasting for Mariners

It doesn’t take a “Perfect Storm” to ruin a day on the water. Lightning, torrential rain and rough seas can turn a pleasurable outing on the water into a life-threatening ordeal in a heartbeat. Yet unwary boaters are too often taken by surprise, largely because they don’t realize just how fast a storm can come up or the danger it presents. **

According to the most recent Coast Guard accident data, nearly three percent of all recreational boating accidents is directly related to severe weather conditions that can quickly overwhelm smaller craft. Some thunderstorms, for example, create micro-bursts – intense downdrafts over an area a half-mile to three miles wide, capable of producing wind gusts from 60 mph to more than 100 mph. Micro-bursts can capsize a small boat, blow a passenger overboard, shred sails and canvas, and send a dinghy whirling through the air.

How can boaters forecast the weather? What do storm cloud patterns mean? How do thunderstorms form, and what conditions are needed for them to develop into micro-bursts? What equipment can boaters carry to help them predict and track the weather? What new technologies can help us plan our trips and passages to minimize or avoid the impact of severe weather events?
The SHYC Education Committee has invited two prominent professors of meteorology to speak on the topic of weather forecasting for mariners. This talk will be aimed at the layperson, not the scientist or PhD student. Please join us for an informative evening and learn the basics of weather forecasting and about the latese water.
t advances in technology that can help us to be weather‐wise and safer on the water.

Dr. James Boyle – Western Connecticut State University

Mr. Bill Biewenga – Weather Routing Consultant

Admission:

Members $5.00 Non‐members $10.00

Please R.S.V.P. 860‐535‐0112