I'm sure I'm being dumb.. but help me out here

[jlcnuke]

So, I'm looking to do my RYA day skipper class, and in prep for that I'm doing the theory online through NauticEd... and I'm obviously missing something...

I've got this wonderful drawing (that I've marked up some) on the test questions about weather in the Northern hemisphere. Question 1 asks which way the wind blows around a low pressure system and explains that it blows counterclockwise and in a slightly inward direction... okay, I can buy that.

The,n follow on questions all have the correct answer for winds in the low pressure system blowing clockwise (and vice versa for the high pressure system)?? Am I missing something here (i.e. correct answer for which direction wind is blowing at "A" is SSW)??

[Tillsbury]

Wind direction is always quoted as being where the wind is coming *from*.

A SSW wind is blowing from SSW, towards NNE

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

Wind direction is always quoted as being where the wind is coming *from*.

A SSW wind is blowing from SSW, towards NNE

In other words your drawn arrow has the tail at the wrong end.

[rbk]

It’s blowing from the ssw...

[jlcnuke]

See, I said I was being dumb.... lol

Thanks all.

[roland stockham]

Good luck and keep going, it is a great course

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by jlcnuke

See, I said I was being dumb.... lol

Thanks all.

No. Good on ya for asking!

[boatman61]

Winds are where they are coming from.. currents are for where they are going too..

[Lihuedooley77]

might be able to help out with some basics....some you already know.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Wind flows counter clockwise around a low in the northern hemisphere.

* The wind blows parallel to the isobars ( concentric circles around the low )

* the closer the isobars to each other, the stronger the wind.
( if those isobars are very close together, stay put. Practice happy hour sea stories snugged in at the Pub. )

Not sure about your area, but here in socal , when the wind blows out of the
SE, we are likely to have rain within 12 to 24 hours.

Just take a piece of paper and draw an easy diagram of a coast line, with a dot at where you live. Just simple.

Then off to the west, draw the center of a low ( L). Draw a circle around the low.

Now , start drawing the isobars circling the low. far apart and close together. Usually closer toward the center of the low, but mother nature can do what she wants.

The barometric pressure is lower , closer to the center of the low.

Put the arrows on the isobars, to indicate the counter clockwise rotation of the wind around the low. Outside of the weather systems, draw N...E. W. S.

Use your imagination, and pretend that whole weather system is moving east toward you. You will see that the SE winds of your diagram are starting to pass over your location. Also, due to center of the low moving ashore, the barometic pressure starts to drop.

1. South Easterly winds, and a barometric pressure drop, you likely will have rain within 12 to 24 hrs. And, as advised. Winds are always from.

SE wind is FROM THE S.E.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
low pressure, cold fronts can move rather quickly. The air behind the cold front is COLDER . So the temp will be dropping with frontal passage.

Then for the sailor, as the front passes STRONG NW winds can start ripping. Then, the system continues eastward and the prevailing westerlies fill in, and life is good.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the glass is high ( barometic Pressure ) heave short and away
When the glass is low ( barometric pressure ) let your anchor stay.

These are very basic tips, but they work. Many times I try to read an article written by a genius meteorologist, and I generally just turn the page. It can be a little to much for my aged brain cells .

But, with some easy basics, you will catch on to what your instructor is teaching about marine weather. It is quite interesting, and actually very, very important.

Sometimes, with just a couple of simple tips, the light turns on, and all is well.

Also, you will have certain weather events that are particular to your area . Learn about them.

At the sailing club, that I instructed for in Newport Beach Ca. USA. I suggested that when the members arrive on the docks, look up at the flag pole on the hospital up on the hill.

If the American flat is whipping straight out, reef or double reef the main at the docks , before you leave.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wont bug you with much more, but hopefully, this will help out a wee bit.