🌦️ Weather report consulted: September 2, 2024

General Situation :

This Monday, a sustained north-northwest regime over the western Bay of Biscay and the nearby Atlantic on the edge of an anticyclone at 1032 hPa centered northwest of the Azores archipelago.

Tuesday, moderate and irregular north to northwest flow over the southern part of the Bay of Biscay, on the edge of an anticyclone at 1033 hPa centered at 44°N and 31°W.

Wednesday, moderate northerly regime over the Bay of Biscay, on the edge of a vast 1035 hPa anticyclone centered at 46°N and 27°W.

Weather conditions at sea Monday September 2

After a slow start to the leg due to the passage of a ridge of high pressure that put the sailors' nerves to the test from the outset, the passage of an active cold front late in the night allowed the entire fleet to get back into the race under a northwesterly wind of 15 to 20 knots. At the 8 o'clock ranking, Alexis Thomas on Wings of the Ocean was the race leader, just ahead of Tom Dolan on Smurfit Kappa – Kingspan and Charlotte Yven on Skipper Macif 2 miles behind. With the very irregular winds at the start of the race, a gap of 25 miles opened up with Thierry Levayer on ALOFI Sailing at the back of the fleet.

On Monday morning, the sailors are making progress reaching in a northwesterly wind of around fifteen knots; they can relax a little after this complicated start to the leg. A speed race is underway between the skippers to go around the island of Sisarga Grande, southwest of the Bay of La Coruña. On Monday afternoon, the wind is shifting from the right to turn north at between 12 and 15 knots. It is becoming a little more irregular and the sailors must not let up, especially as the sea state is deteriorating with more than 2 m of waves arriving on the starboard side of the boats. It is at the end of the afternoon that the first skippers should round the island of Sisarga Grande and begin their ascent towards the Bay of Biscay. In the evening and the night from Monday to Tuesday, they will therefore be sailing close-hauled in a northerly wind of 10 to 15 knots. The sea conditions are expected to be sporty with 2.5 m waves coming from the northwest and hindering the progress of the boats. At the end of the night they will already be approaching the southern part of the Bay of Biscay in an irregular north-northwest wind.

Weather conditions at sea Tuesday September 3

On Tuesday morning, the Figaro sailors will be sailing on the southwest end of the Bay of Biscay. Tactical choices will be made to take the best possible trajectory to reach the Charente coast. They will have to watch the weather forecast carefully to see how the edge of the high pressure area located north of the Azores will behave. With the effects of the ridge of high pressure towards the Bay of Biscay, the north to northwest wind is expected to be irregular in strength and direction. This Tuesday morning, the sailors will be sailing under a north-northwest wind of 8 to 13 knots. They will therefore progress a little less quickly than the day before with a trajectory close to the direct route but differences in latitude may already be observed depending on the race strategies. The sea will remain rough to strong with the persistence of a northwest swell of 2 m to 2.5 m, which will slow down the progress of the sailboats and will remain uncomfortable for the sailors. In the afternoon, the wind will be irregular, oscillating between the northwest and the north over the southern part of the Bay of Biscay with intensities that can vary from 7 to 12 knots. Gaps could open up within the fleet depending on the route options chosen. In the evening and the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, the north to northwest wind will continue to be irregular under the effect of a pseudo ridge in the heart of the Bay of Biscay, which will play spoilsport.

Weather conditions at sea Wednesday September 4

On Wednesday morning, the wind will become more regular and will pick up a little strength with the Azores high rising towards the north. The wind established in the north-northwest will blow between 12 and 15 knots and will allow close-hauled sailing at good speed towards the Charente coast. The sea will start to calm down with a northwest swell between 1.5 m and 1.8 m. The skippers will have to refine their racing strategy to arrive with the best possible trajectory in Royan. On Wednesday afternoon, the wind will tend to take a little left for the last tens of miles to be covered. It is in the evening that the first skippers are expected on the finish line under a northwest wind that will have strengthened between 15 and 18 knots. A beautiful spectacle in perspective. The rest of the fleet will continue to sail on port tack under a consistent northwest flow. The bulk of the fleet is expected to arrive overnight from Wednesday to Thursday.

Weather conditions in Royan

Thursday September 5th

Good weather with alternating sunshine and cloudy periods

Wind: north to northwest 10 to 15 km/h, gusts 25-30 km/h

Temperatures: 14 to 21°C

Risk of precipitation: 0%

Friday September 6th

Very cloudy in the morning, evolving into more or less clear spells in the afternoon

Wind: northeast 15 to 20 km/h

Temperatures: 13 to 23°C

Risk of precipitation: 0%

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