General Situation :
Friday, weak to moderate east to south-east regime under the influence of a stormy depression centered at 1005 hPa in the south of the Bay of Biscay.
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, sustained and disturbed southwesterly flow under the influence of a 1001 hPa depression centered off the southern coast of England.
Weather conditions in Royan
Friday September 6th
Cloudy weather with intermittent rain in the morning. Improving in the afternoon with the return of clear spells.
Wind: east 10 to 20 km/h in the morning turning south 10 to 20 km/h in the afternoon
Temperatures: 14 to 20Ā°C
Chance of precipitation: 90% in the morning, 20% in the afternoon
Saturday September 7th
Unstable weather in the morning with showers that may become stormy. More changeable skies in the afternoon with clear spells and cloudy periods. The risk of showers is decreasing.
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 21Ā°C
Chance of precipitation: 80% in the morning, 30% in the afternoon
Risk of thunderstorms: 50% in the morning, 20% in the afternoon
Sunday September 8th
Clouds dominate the clearings and are sometimes 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: 16 to 20Ā°C
Chance of precipitation: 70%
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, this start of the third leg promises to be lively. The reliability is good (80%) to see a west-southwest wind of around 15 knots settling in 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, maximum gusts could reach 25 knots. At the mouth of the Gironde estuary, the sea will be quite rough for the coastal course with waves of around 1 meter coming from the west. As for the sky, clouds will dominate but may allow some clearings. The reliability is 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 of a third leg that promises to be the most invigorating of all. From the first hours of racing on the ocean, the westerly wind will strengthen as it approaches the depression circulating in the Channel. Under 20 knots of wind, the sailors will sail close-hauled 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. The gusts could reach 28 to 30 knots under the squalls. In the evening, the wind will take from the right to veer west-northwest, which will require tacking a few times off the VendƩe coast. During 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 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 this Monday, September 9
On Monday, most of the fleet will sail off the coast of Brittany in a west-northwest wind that remains fairly brisk, between 17 and 20 knots. They will have to make several tack changes with this wind that will come from ahead 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 person's strategies. A third leg that will certainly be exciting to follow...