Offshore Conditions?

[bozeman]

Can anyone help interpret this data for offshore conditions? The winds don't look bad but just trying to interpret the other stuff.

Previous observations MM DD TIME
(EDT) WDIR WSPD
kts GST
kts WVHT
ft DPD
sec APD
sec MWD PRES
in PTDY
in ATMP
°F WTMP
°F DEWP
°F SAL
psu VIS
mi TIDE
ft
08 29 9:50 am E 11.7 13.6 3.6 5 4.5 - 29.97 +0.01 74.1 72.5 66.9 - - -
08 29 8:50 am ESE 11.7 13.6 3.6 5 4.3 - 29.97 +0.02 74.1 72.5 66.2 - - -
08 29 7:50 am ESE 11.7 13.6 3.9 5 4.3 - 29.96 +0.03 74.1 72.5 64.8 - - -
08 29 6:50 am ESE 9.7 11.7 3.9 5 4.3 - 29.96 +0.02 74.1 72.7 63.7 - - -
08 29 5:50 am ESE 11.7 13.6 4.3 5 4.3 - 29.95 +0.00 74.1 72.5 63.0 - - -
08 29 4:50 am ESE 13.6 15.5 4.3 5 4.3 - 29.94 -0.02 74.1 72.3 63.0 - - -
08 29 3:50 am ESE 13.6 17.5 3.9 5 4.1 - 29.94 -0.04 74.1 72.3 61.3 - - -
08 29 2:50 am ESE 15.5 17.5 4.3 5 4.1 - 29.95 -0.04 73.9 72.3 61.9 - - -
08 29 1:50 am ESE 13.6 17.5 4.3 5 4.2 - 29.96 -0.02 74.1 72.5 62.2 - - -
08 29 12:50 am ESE 13.6 17.5 3.6 4 4.0 - 29.98 +0.00 74.3 72.5 60.8 - - -
08 28 11:50 pm ESE 15.5 17.5 3.9 5 4.1 - 29.98 +0.01 74.3 72.7 60.1 - - -
08 28 10:50 pm ESE 13.6 17.5 3.6 5 4.2 - 29.98 +0.00 74.1 72.9 59.9 - - -
08 28 9:50 pm E 13.6 17.5 3.3 5 4.0 - 29.98 +0.02 74.1 73.0 59.4 - - -
08 28 8:50 pm E 11.7 15.5 3.3 4 4.0 - 29.97 +0.01 73.9 73.0 60.8 - - -
08 28 7:50 pm E 11.7 11.7 3.3 4 4.1 - 29.97 +0.01 73.8 73.2 60.6 - - -
08 28 6:50 pm ESE 11.7 13.6 3.6 4 4.1 - 29.96 -0.01 73.6 73.0 60.8 - - -
08 28 5:50 pm E 11.7 13.6 3.3 4 4.0 - 29.96 -0.03 73.4 73.2 61.2 - - -
08 28 4:50 pm E 13.6 15.5 3.6 5 4.0 - 29.96 -0.04 73.4 73.0 60.3 - - -
08 28 3:50 pm E 13.6 15.5 3.6 4 4.1 - 29.97 -0.04 73.6 73.0 59.2 - - -
08 28 2:50 pm ESE 11.7 13.6 3.6 4 4.1 - 29.99 -0.02 73.6 73.0 58.3 - - -
08 28 1:50 pm ESE 13.6 15.5 3.9 5 4.1 - 30.00 -0.02 73.2 73.2 60.1 - - -
08 28 12:50 pm E 13.6 15.5 3.9 5 4.3 - 30.01 +0.00 73.2 73.2 59.5 - - -
08 28 11:50 am E 13.6 15.5 3.9 4 4.3 - 30.01 +0.01 73.2 73.4 61.2 - - -
08 28 10:50 am ESE 13.6 15.5 3.9 5 4.3 - 30.02 +0.02 73.4 73.2 62.4 - - -

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Detailed Wave Summary
for 44009 as of (11:00 am EDT)
1500 GMT on 08/29/2008:
These wave data are displayed in rounded times.

Unit of Measure: English Metric Time Zone: Station Local Time Greenwich Mean Time [GMT] British Summer Time [GMT+1] Eastern Greenland [GMT-1] Azores [GMT-2] Western Greenland [GMT-3] Atlantic Standard [GMT-4] US/Eastern Standard US/Central Standard US/Mountain Standard US/Pacific Standard Alaska Standard [GMT-9] Hawaii-Aleutian Standard [GMT-10] Samoa Standard [GMT-11] International Date Line West [GMT-12] Western European [GMT+0] Central European [GMT+1] Eastern European [GMT+2] Moscow [GMT+3] USSR Zone 3 [GMT+4] USSR Zone 4 [GMT+5] USSR Zone 5 [GMT+6] USSR Zone 6 [GMT+7] China Coast [GMT+8] Japan Standard [GMT+9] Guam Standard [GMT+10] GMT+11 International Date Line East [GMT+12]
Click on the graph icon in the table below to see a time series plot of the last five days of that observation.

Significant Wave Height (WVHT): 3.6 ft
Swell Height (SwH): 2.3 ft
Swell Period (SwP): 10.0 sec
Wind Wave Height (WWH): 3.0 ft
Wind Wave Period (WWP): 5.3 sec
Wave Steepness (STEEPNESS): VERY_STEEP
Average Wave Period (APD): 4.4 sec
Previous observations MM DD TIME
(EDT) WVHT
ft SwH
ft SwP
sec SwD WWH
ft WWP
sec WWD STEEPNESS APD
sec
08 29 10:00 am 3.6 2.0 11.4 N/A 3.3 5.3 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.5
08 29 9:00 am 3.6 2.0 6.2 N/A 3.0 5.0 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.3
08 29 8:00 am 3.9 2.3 5.6 N/A 3.3 5.0 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.3
08 29 7:00 am 3.9 2.6 11.4 N/A 3.0 4.8 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.3
08 29 6:00 am 4.3 1.6 10.8 N/A 3.9 4.5 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.3
08 29 5:00 am 4.3 1.3 10.0 N/A 4.3 4.8 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.3
08 29 4:00 am 3.9 1.3 11.4 N/A 3.9 4.8 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.1
08 29 3:00 am 4.3 1.3 10.8 N/A 3.9 4.8 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.1
08 29 2:00 am 4.3 1.6 10.8 N/A 3.9 4.8 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.2
08 29 1:00 am 3.6 1.3 10.8 N/A 3.3 4.2 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.0
08 29 12:00 am 3.9 1.3 8.3 N/A 3.6 4.8 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.1
08 28 11:00 pm 3.6 1.3 11.4 N/A 3.3 5.0 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.2
08 28 10:00 pm 3.3 1.3 11.4 N/A 3.0 5.0 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.0
08 28 9:00 pm 3.3 1.6 11.4 N/A 3.0 4.2 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.0
08 28 8:00 pm 3.3 1.6 10.8 N/A 3.0 4.3 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.1
08 28 7:00 pm 3.6 1.6 10.8 N/A 3.0 4.0 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.1
08 28 6:00 pm 3.3 1.6 9.1 N/A 3.0 4.2 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.0
08 28 5:00 pm 3.6 1.3 9.1 N/A 3.3 4.5 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.0
08 28 4:00 pm 3.6 1.6 11.4 N/A 3.3 4.2 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.1
08 28 3:00 pm 3.6 1.6 11.4 N/A 3.3 4.3 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.1
08 28 2:00 pm 3.9 1.6 9.1 N/A 3.9 4.8 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.1
08 28 1:00 pm 3.9 1.6 11.4 N/A 3.6 5.0 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.3
08 28 12:00 pm 3.9 1.6 12.1 N/A 3.3 4.2 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.3
08 28 11:00 am 3.9 1.6 10.0 N/A 3.6 4.5 N/A VERY_STEEP 4.3

[ocnslr]

Wind has been blowing from generally the same quadrant (ESE) in the low teens for at least the last 24 hours.

Swells are not bad at 2.3 feet, with a long period of ten (10) seconds.

Wind waves are 3.0 feet on top of the swells. They are Very-Steep, with a short period of 5.3 seconds.

One good rule of thumb is to divide the period in seconds by the height in feet. If the quotient is 2 or LESS, then it will be snotty.

For the data you give, the swells we get 10/2.3 = 4.3, which is a gentle, rolling swell.

However, the wind waves give us 5.3/3 = 1.76...

I would likely stay home, unless the wind was already dropping, and I was just waiting for the seas to lay down.

JMHO,
Brian

[shoot-straight]

look at the wwh (wind wave height) and steepness. 3' + very steep= very nasty.... at least to me

i wont go till this e wind dies out.

[Magic Moment]

One nice thing about an East, or SE wind, is that the worst of it is heading out. I've become a big believer in stick your nose out of the inlet when the weather looks border line. But I won't head south if is supposed to blow from the North, or visa versa. This usually leaves you the option of bailing out with a not so bad run home if you have to turn around.

[Capt Crunch]

One good rule of thumb is to divide the period in seconds by the height in feet. If the quotient is 2 or greater, then it will be snotty.

For the data you give, the swells we get 10/2.3 = 4.3, which is a gentle, rolling swell.

However, the wind waves give us 5.3/3 = 1.76...

Brian,

Thanks for the tip. I never heard that one before, and it's good to know.

Just to get it clear in my head, though -- don't you mean that if the quotient is 2 or less, it will be snotty...and the higher the value of the quotient, the less rough it will be...?

Just trying to get a handle on the concept here...

[WildeOne]

He got is backwards ... the higher the quotient, the nicer. 2 or > usually means ground swells.
==============================
Jim
23' Grady White Gulfstream "Get Reel"
Ocean Pines, MD

[Kayak fisherman]

So what's it going to be like out of Rudee or OI Sat am? (I'll try to figure it out myself based on the above tips, but any advice would be appreciated).

[ocnslr]

Brian,

-- don't you mean that if the quotient is 2 or less, it will be snotty...and the higher the value of the quotient, the less rough it will be...?

Been using this rule correctly for a long time. So chalk my written error up to a "senior moment"...