When at sea being able to obtain accurate weather data is vital to the safety of the vessel. A normal forecast like you see on the news is far too general. Technology has come a long way. Technology that was bulky and expensive and only used by commercial shipping is now available to all.
GRIB files contain weather data, the files are optimized to be as compressed as possible allowing faster and cheaper transmission over slower internet connections. Sailors will generally download the file before leaving port. For those venturing out to sea the files can be downloaded using a satellite phone. See Wikipedia for more information on satellite phones.
The GRIB file once downloaded needs to be extracted and viewed, to do this you will need a free program such as UGRIB, please click the link to install your own free copy onto your laptop. The program will take you through the steps of choosing the area you require data for and then download the free files for you.
The data tells you the wind speed and direction, air pressure and areas of possible precipitation. Forecasts can be up to seven days in advance but remember accuracy decreases over time so whenever possible get an updated file. The GRIB viewer can also animate the data so you can see how the weather patterns will develop for your area. It makes a lot more sense once you have had a play with the software. Have a go it's all free.
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