🌦️ Weather Bulletin: Monday September 9th

General Situation :

Monday, sustained northwesterly flow on the edge of an anticyclone centered at 1034hPa in the heart of the Atlantic.

Tuesday, westerly regime strengthening over the Channel and the Iroise Sea, ahead of a cold front circulating over the Celtic Sea.

Wednesday, sustained northwesterly flow over the western English Channel and the Iroise Sea, between an anticyclone centered at 1034 hPa north of the Azores and a depression at 984 hPa in the Norwegian Sea.

Weather conditions in Royan

Sunday September 8th

The sky is changeable with alternating sunshine and cloudy periods. Low risk of showers.

Wind: southwest 15 to 25 km/h in the morning, veering west-southwest 20 to 30 km/h in the afternoon, gusts to 40 km/h

Temperatures: 14 to 21°C

Risk of precipitation: 30%

Sea conditions Monday September 9

This Monday early morning, the fleet was very grouped together because there were not many options to play last night, under a fairly regular northwesterly flow. Basile Bourgnon aboard Edenred was in the lead of the race but five of his competitors were located less than 2 miles behind him. It is therefore a real speed race that is underway towards the islands located off the coast of southern Brittany.

In the morning, the sailors are making good progress in a west-northwest wind that remains fairly brisk, between 17 and 20 knots. They have to make several tacks with this wind coming from the front of the boats. The Figaro sailors must opt for the best possible trajectory to reach the Occidentale de Sein in the Iroise Sea. They must take into account the tidal currents, the wind slackening or accelerations in the vicinity of the islands and the more degraded sea conditions offshore than along the coast. The route is long and trying due to the many tacks to be taken before reaching the tip of Brittany. The gaps are likely to widen as the day goes on, depending on each sailor's strategies. The first sailors should approach the Iroise Sea in the first part of 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 first have to put some west on their route before going up the Iroise Sea to go around the Occidentale de Sein in the middle of the night. They will then have to take into account the rough seas and the strong tidal currents in this south-north crossing of the Iroise Sea.

Sea conditions Tuesday September 10

Early this 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 shifted slightly to the left, they will then begin the start of the Channel crossing by sailing on a reach towards the Skerries Bank mark located off the coast of English Cornwall. In the afternoon of this Tuesday, the westerly wind will strengthen to more than 20 knots, ahead of a disturbed front circulating in the Celtic Sea. The gusts will reach 30 knots and the sea will be rough with a swell of 1.5 m to 2 m. It is in the evening that the cold front of an active disturbance will cross the fleet while the sailors will sail close to the English coast. As the front passes, the gusts will reach 35 to 40 knots with heavy precipitation. The wind will veer to the northwest as the first skippers make progress between the two passage marks of Skerries Bank and Shambles. They will have to show a lot of concentration in these muscular weather conditions. Along the English coast, they will benefit from slightly less choppy seas than during the Channel crossing. During the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, they will begin their second Channel crossing and will make good progress reaching at a brisk pace, on the starboard tack, in a west-north-north wind of 20 to 25 knots. The weather will be unstable with squalls and gusts that could still reach 30 to 35 knots. A weather situation that will still not allow the sailors the slightest moment of rest.

Sea conditions Wednesday September 11

On Wednesday morning, the sailors will complete their express Channel crossing in a northwesterly wind of 20 to 25 knots, which will allow them to begin sailing down the Iroise Sea before midday. The rough to strong sea, with waves of 2m to 2.50m coming from the starboard side, will not allow for optimum speed. As they pass off the tip of Brittany, they will once again have to take into account the strong tidal currents and refine their trajectory so as not to lose ground with their competitors. The first skippers should leave the Iroise Sea at the end of the afternoon to begin sailing downwind off the southern coast of Brittany. In a northwesterly wind of around 20 knots, sailing speeds should accelerate as the sea will become less rough as they pass along the southern coast of Brittany. With a wind coming from behind the boats, the skippers will have to gybe in this speed race to reach the finish line at La Turballe. It's a great battle that promises to be in store for the last tens of miles to be covered. The first sailors could cross the finish line in the middle of the night from Wednesday to Thursday.

Weather conditions in La Turballe

Thursday September 12

Beautiful, cool and windy weather. The sun is dominating with some harmless cloud formations.

Wind: northwest 20 to 30 km/h, gusts 40-45 km/h

Temperatures: 10 to 16°C

Risk of precipitation: 0%

Friday September 13 :

Beautiful sunny weather in the morning, sky divided between sun and clouds in the afternoon

Wind: north 15 to 30 km/h

Temperatures: 9 to 17°C

Risk of precipitation: 0%

“For more information, visit the website https://marine.meteoconsult.fr/