General Situation :
Saturday, disturbed and unstable southwesterly regime under the influence of a 1006hPa depression moving from the Bay of Biscay towards the northwest of France.
Sunday, slightly disturbed west-southwest flow under the influence of a depression centered at 1001 hPa south of England.
Monday, sustained northwesterly flow on the edge of an anticyclone centered at 1034hPa in the heart of the Atlantic.
Weather conditions in Royan
Saturday September 7th
Cloudy skies with some clear spells in the morning. Unstable weather at midday and until mid-afternoon with a risk of thunderstorm showers. Return of beautiful clear spells at the end of the day.
Wind: east to northeast 5 to 20 km/h in the morning, turning southwest, strengthening 20 to 30 km/h in the afternoon with gusts to 40-50 km/h
Temperatures: 14 to 21°C
Chance of precipitation: 30% in the morning, 60% in the afternoon
Risk of thunderstorms: 40%
Sunday September 8th
Clear spells alternate with cloudy periods that may be accompanied by showers.
Wind: southwest 15 to 30 km/h in the morning, veering west-southwest 15 to 30 km/h in the afternoon, gusts to 40 km/h
Temperatures: 15 to 21°C
Chance of precipitation: 50%
Risk of thunderstorms: 20%
Weather conditions for the start of the race in Royan this Sunday, September 8 at 2 p.m.
Unlike the start of the second leg which took place in very light winds with light northwesterly airs, the wind will be well established and rather lively for this start of the third leg. The reliability is very good (90%) to see a west-southwest wind (250°) of around 12 knots established for the start and the coastal course of this final leg which will take the skippers from Royan to La Turballe via the southwest coast of England. With an unstable atmosphere, the maximum gusts could reach around twenty knots. At the mouth of the Gironde estuary, the sea will be calm for the coastal course with waves of around 80 cm coming from the west. As for the sky, clear spells will alternate with cloudy passages, which will give beautiful lights on the water. The reliability remains more limited concerning the risk of showers. It is estimated at 40% according to the Meteo Consult probabilistic scenario.
Sea conditions this Sunday, September 8 and the following night
The sailors will quickly get into the game since the westerly wind will strengthen from the first hours of racing on the ocean. In 15 to 18 knots of wind, the sailors will sail close-hauled at good speed, off the Charente islands. In the evening, the wind will continue to strengthen to reach 20 knots with gusts of 25-28 knots. The sea will become rough with a 1.5 m swell that will arrive on the port side of the sailboats and make the crossing uncomfortable. The weather will be very humid with rain or showers. In the first part of the night, the wind will turn from the right to veer west-northwest which will require a few tacks off the Vendée coast. At the end of the night, they will continue their progress off the coast of Loire-Atlantique under a west-northwest wind that will force them to sail close-hauled in a very rough sea with 1.5 to 2 meters of waves coming from the west. A situation that will be trying from the first night for the skippers who will have little time to rest.
Sea conditions Monday September 9
On Monday, most of the fleet will sail off the southern coast of Brittany in a west-northwest wind that remains fairly brisk, between 17 and 20 knots. They will have to make several tacks with this wind that will come from the front of the boats. The Figaro sailors will have to opt for the best possible trajectory to reach the Occidentale de Sein in the Iroise Sea. They will have to take into account the tidal currents, the wind drop or acceleration in the vicinity of the islands and the more degraded sea conditions offshore than along the coast. The gaps are likely to widen depending on each sailor's strategies. The first sailors should approach the Iroise Sea early in the night from Monday to Tuesday in a wind that will have taken a little to the right to orient itself to the northwest. They will still have to tack a few more times to get around the Occidentale de Sein during the night. The skippers will have to keep their wits about them due to the numerous manoeuvres and sail adjustments to be made, taking into account the strong tidal currents in the Iroise Sea.
Sea conditions Tuesday September 10
On Tuesday morning, the first Figaro sailors should make progress in the vicinity of the island of Ouessant under a west-northwest wind of 15 to 18 knots. With the wind having taken a little to the left, they will then begin the start of the Channel crossing by sailing on a reach towards the Skerries Bank mark off the coast of English Cornwall. On Tuesday afternoon, the westerly wind will strengthen to more than 20 knots, ahead of a disturbed front circulating in the Iroise Sea. It is in the evening that the cold front of an active disturbance should cross the fleet. As the front passes, the gusts will reach 30 to 35 knots with heavy precipitation. The wind will veer to the northwest while the first skippers are expected early in the night off the southern coast of England to pass the Skerries Bank mark. They will have to show a lot of concentration in these tough weather conditions, in rough seas.