At midnight an area of high pressure was centred near 29N 43W 1028, this becoming absorbed into a high near Newfoundland during today and little change is expected over the coming days. A cold front is affecting the north of Olga, this front weakening through today. The trade winds flow is expected to becoming more easterly through Friday. Note that squally showers can be seen on the satellite picture this morning, and we do expect these to move through all areas. Winds will be gusty in any showers.

At midnight high pressure 1026mb was centred near 31N 42W, this becoming absorbed into an area of high pressure close to Newfoundland by midday Thursday, the ridge extending south from the high into the mid Atlantic. A cold front is affecting the far northwest of Olga, this tending to weaken today, although it may strengthen again through the early part of Thursday, before clearing east. Satellite pictures reveals squally showers still in the trade winds flow, so you should be aware that there is a risk of strong winds associated with the squalls. The trade winds flow remains through the area.

A 1025mb area of high pressure is now centred at 31N 43W with an active cold front lying just west of Bermuda to Cuba. By Wednesday the high will have weakened with a ridge of high pressure remaining across the sailing areas as the cold front also weakens as it moves into high pressure. By Thursday the front has intensified near the NW corner of Olga with the front then extending west to east along about 30N with high pressure to the north and south. The front then crosses northern parts of Kate late in the weekend and into early next week.

Again it remains a quiet weather picture across the sailing areas and it should stay that far. And again while there are no organised areas of showers, there remains broken SC cloud which can produce scattered showers here and there. Be advised, sudden and much higher gusts can occur in the vicinity of any squally showers.

A cell of high pressure, 1025mb, is now centred at 37N 44W and is dominating central Atlantic. The high is expected to maintain and will be near 31N 42W by Tuesday 12Z with an active front to lie west of Bermuda to Cuba by then. As the cold front moves east it is expected to weaken in the south and any weather will be north of 25N as a new high then develops behind the front and will be centred west of the Azores on Wednesday. The weather looks very quiet across the sailing areas with decent trades. Broken fields of SC cloud could be thick enough to produce a few showers just about anywhere but latest METSAT shows no organised shower activity at this time. Be advised, sudden and much higher gusts can occur in the vicinity of any squally showers.

At 00 UTC an area of high pressure was located near 28N 52W 1023, this becoming absorbed into a developing high to the north, expected 40N 43W 1028 by midday Monday.  The ITCZ is currently centred around 7N and is not expected to extend further north than 12N.  The E-NE flow is maintained throughout the next couple of days.  Satellite pictures reveal broken cloud through the areas, associated with the trade wind flow. Be aware that isolated squally showers are still possible with associated increased winds.

A cell of high pressure, 1025mb, is now centred at 30N 55W and is dominating the western and southern Atlantic. The high is expected to maintain and will be semi-stationary through Saturday with a ridge axis then to extend west to east from Cuba into the sailing areas. By Monday a new high is expected to be centred in the central Atlantic with a deep low moving just north of the Azores.  While no major areas of adverse weather is forecast, there are enhanced areas of cloud scattered across the sailing areas and these can produce shower activity. Be advised, sudden and much higher gusts can occur in the vicinity of any squally showers.

A cell of high pressure, 1025mb, is now centred at 28N 60W and is dominating the western and southern Atlantic. The high is expected to maintain and will be semi-stationary into the weekend. A weak low has developed on that trough near the Canaries and is now centred near 27N 18W. The low will be a stationary, weak feature becoming a surface trough on Saturday.

Tropical Storm Olga was centred near 19.0N 70.6W at 12/0300Z with it’s present movement toward the west or 275 degrees at 13 kt. This will weaken and continue moving west and by 13/12Z will be a remnant low.  A cell of high pressure, 1025mb, is now centred at 30N 60W with a cold front moving across the Azores. The area of high pressure is expected to maintain and will be semi-stationary over the next few days. It then slowly drifts east and will dominate much of the central and southern Atlantic into next week.  A weak surface trough lies in the vicinity of the Canaries into Yasmin and will just produce a few showers. This trough will become stationary off the western coast of Africa.

Subtropical storm Olga is located near 18.5N 65.3W at 11/0300Z with present movement toward the west or 275 degrees at 13 kt and max sustained winds 35 kt with gusts to 45 kt. This will continue moving west and is forecast to dissipate by Friday 00Z. Strongest convection is wrapped around the west side of the circulation affecting the island of Puerto Rico with scattered showers and tstms from 18N-23N between 58W-68W.

High pressure is to develop and by Wed 00Z is expected to be centred near 32N 64W with a cold front approaching the Azores. By Thursday 00Z the high, 1025mb, is centred near 28N 60W with a ridge axis to extend east towards the Canaries.

A minor surface trough is expected to be semi-stationary off the western coast of Africa

The area of disturbed weather associated with a broad area of low pressure centred about 370 nm east of Puerto Rico is affecting Olga north of about 18N and the far north of Tess. Wind gusts in excess of 50 kts are likely around heavier showers and squalls. As this area continues moving to the west, it will gradually be clearing in the next 24-48 hrs. All yachts have been advised to remain south of 18N till then.

A cell of high pressure is centred near 42N 122W and dominates the eastern Atlantic with a weak surface trough west of Cape Verdi along approx 28W which will be semi-stationary before it dissipates by Thursday.

A surface trough lies west of St. Lucia along approx 57W with a large area of heavy rain with thunderstorms associated with this trough which is moving west. The area of heavy, thundery rain is currently bounded between 23N 64W to 19N 40W to 12N 40W to 12N 45W. Heavy squalls and thunderstorms in this area may produce wind gusts in excess of 50 kts.

High pressure, 1029mb, is centred over the Azores and is expected to move east and will be over Iberia on Tuesday.

High pressure areas are centred over the Azores with another near 42N 43W. There’s a weak cold front in between the highs which will decay over the next 24 hrs as the main high becomes centred near 442N 33W by Sun 00Z. The high then moves east towards Iberia on Tuesday.

A concentrated area of heavy, showery and thundery rain is currently bounded between these coordinates and will be slowly drifting to the west over the next 48 hrs.
26N 54W TO 26N 52W TO 17N 45W AND 15N 53W.

This is associated with a cold trough in the upper atmosphere and is expected to slowly drift towards the west. Sct thunderstorms are also west of this area. Much higher gusts will be found in and around these squally showers with gusts possible in excess of 50 kts.

A surface trough developing over western Africa is expected to move west in the flow and is forecast to lie along 30W by Mon 12Z.

High pressure, 1036mb is centred over the Azores and is expected to be semi-stationary into Monday.  A pocket of cold air aloft moving into the southern, central Atlantic continues to add instability producing showers between 30-50W. This area is not showing much movement.  A weak surface trough also lies across western Kate and will be slowly moving west over the next couple of days. Latest satellite indicates an area of heavy showers with sct thunderstorms across Kate and southern Ellie. This has been nearly stationary over the last 24 hrs. Much higher gusts will be found in and around these squally showers with gusts possible in excess of 50 kts.

High pressure now 1036mb is established just south of the Azores near 36N 25W and this is expected to be semi-stationary through the weekend, dominating much of the eastern and southern Atlantic.

There is a weak trough moving slowly west across Kate and Olga which is producing some shower activity and will continue to do so as it drifts west into Tess as well on Friday. A pocket of cold air aloft may also bring a few showers to Ellie as well from tomorrow.

A series of high pressure areas will remain dominate into next week with the large area continuing to prevail.

High pressure, 1025mb, now centred near 35N 20W which extends into the central and eastern Atlantic. The high is expected to intensify, 1037mb, and will be near the Azores by this time tomorrow and will be a strong, stationary feature through the weekend. A weak, shallow low is centred near 23N 54W and is expected to dissipate today while a minor surface trough developing near 40W and moves slowly east over the next few days. This may increase shower activity across Kate and Olga. Large area of trades now prevail and should do so into early next week across all areas. Be advised that even under high pressure isolated squalls can develop and can give sudden and unexpected, strong gusts of wind.

High pressure over Iberia is ridging to the south and south west into the eastern Atlantic.

A cold front lies fro the Azores to the south west to near 20N 40W. As high pressure intensifies across the eastern Atlantic, the cold front will be weakening to an area of showers over the next 24-48 hours with a new high, 1037mb, centred near 38N 20W by Thursday mid day.

The high maintains and becomes semi-stationary into the weekend, dominate much of the sailing areas though remnants of that cold front will keep showers in the forecast across western areas.

1029mb near 37N 16W moves W thru the week; expected near 35N 32W by 07/12 00Z. A cold front lies from Low in N Atlantic southward near 40W and as this moves E, the southern part of the front will weaken and break up to an area of showers by mid week.  Winds are becoming lighter as yachts move west.

High 1029mb near 35N 20W extends S & SW across E Atlantic. By 03/12 12Z near 37N 15W. A showery, surface trough persist along 55W and is merging with a cold front moving into the central Atlantic; by 03/12 00Z front extends from N to S, west of 40W.

Synopsis: High pressure, 1028mb, has now built into the central Atlantic is is centred near 40N 40W. This drifts east to be near the Azores by Sat 12Z and will be NW of Madeira by Sunday 12Z.  A trough along approx 50W is slowly moving to the west and is producing lots of showers between 40-55W. As the trough tends to stall to the NE of St. Lucia this weekend, the showers will persist across Olga and western Kate.

High pressure, 1028mb, has now built into the central Atlantic is is centred near 40N 40W. This drifts east to be near the Azores by Sat 12Z and will be NW of Madeira by Sunday 12Z. A trough along approx 50W is slowly moving to the west and is producing lots of showers between 40-55W. As the trough tends to stall to the NE of St. Lucia this weekend, the showers will persist across Olga and western Kate.

A trough of low pressure lies across western Kate and is producing showers across Kate and a few in western Ellie, some heavy. This will be a rather slow moving feature to the west over the next couple of days and tend to weaken by Sunday as a cold front moves into northern Kate by then.

A weak easterly moving trough lies across western Kate where it will be producing some showers. This feature will be very slowly drifting westward over the next few days with further showers expected across Kate.

Satellite shows scattered showers across Kate and a few look heavy while cloud is more broken through Ellie and Yasmin. Be advised that even under high pressure isolated squalls can develop, especially at night and can give sudden and unexpected, strong gusts of wind. With areas of high pressure moving into the central and eastern Atlantic, the trades remain quite favourable into next week.

Trades continue to look good through the weekend. We may see lighter winds developing north of 20N and west of 42W by Tuesday.

Forecast for next 24 hours to 28/1200 UTC (speeds in knots):

A widespread area of favourable trades will persist across the sailing areas for much of the upcoming week but we will see some disruption across western Kate on Wednesday which is due to the development of an area of low pressure near 26N 50W at Friday 12Z. As this decays and moves away to the north west, the best winds look to be south of 20N by then.

The wind will generally be from the north but quite variable in direction as it bends around the island. It should be around 20 knots at the start (force 5) however in the acceleration zone towards the south of the island it will probably be in excess of 30 knots (force 7).

High pressure is intensifying to the west of Biscay near 45N 25W, and a small area of low pressure is over N Africa moving to the east. This is giving us a moderate to strong N to NE’ly flow. This will continue for the next 24 hours, moderating Sunday morning.

There is a complex area of low pressure that extends from the UK to Portugal and west to Madeira where there is a small depression. This will give us an unstable south westerly airstream with the chance of rain and showers.

A complex area of low pressure is developing near the islands of the Azores. This depression is expected to deepen over the next 3 days disturbing the trade winds at Las Palmas and through the Canaries.

During the rally a daily weather forecast is sent to the fleet via e-mail, and relayed again over the SSB radio net. A professional meteorologist produces the forecast specifically for the fleet and gives a 24 hour forecast with a further 24 hours outlook. It is written based on a Sea Areas Map covering the route across the Atlantic and uses a number of abbreviations. Further details regarding the daily weather report and Sea Areas Map will be given at the skippers briefing prior to the start.