Interpreting Weather Forecasts for South Florida Dive Boats

[Biotech Diver]

People still dive during this global pandemic? I have a tough enough time just suiting up to go to Publix.

Yes. I’ve been diving at least twice a month the whole year. I’m more worried about my dives getting canceled due to bad weather than getting severe symptoms or dying from COVID-19. Odds are greatly in my favor.

 

[RKO]

If your planing on diving during the winter time down here get this app, Windfinder Apps for iOS and Android - Windfinder you can get it for free at the app store. This app is accurate and a number of tech's down here use this to predict wind conditions so you can plan you dive accordingly. From November to April the wind can blow 15 to 25 knots. on any giving day but you can get some calm days from time to time. A good dive boat captain will cancel if it gets to windy and some will still go out, stick with a reputable dive boat like Silent World. If you trip gets canceled you will get a refund.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I have spent literally decades trying to predict this. I had my own dive shop at MM21/ Cudjoe Gardens Marina for five years, then spent seven years in Key Largo at Ocean Divers & later Rainbow Reef - three of those years as head captain with the responsibility of making go/no go decisions.

Wind direction is key. In Key Largo we can dive in a northerly 20-22 knot wind with little problem. At due north we have done trips in 25 knots successfully. Once the wind is easterly or southerly we are skunked when the wind is much above 12-15 knots.

Wind-Alert is a paid wind app with REAL-TIME wind speed/direction measured at Alligator Reef and Carysfort -- updates every few seconds. This is the best predictor I had available to me over the years.

Storm radar, a free app is great too as you can see approaching squalls and predicted squall lines/rain/lightning.

NOAA Marine Forecasts are helpful, but are only maybe 80% accurate/reliable, maybe 70%??

These are the tools I used and for the most part using them together we were correct in our go/no go decisions 90+% of the time. YMMV.

 

[Swedinsidemount]

I just moved to Miami and look forward to the opportunity to dive locally in the Keys and in Palm Beach County/Jupiter on the weekends.

As I look at weather forecasts in an attempt to gauge whether or not dive boats in the Keys and Palm Beach County would be able to operate on any given upcoming weekend, what should I look for? For example, what wind conditions or wave and swell heights in a forecast would probably cause boat operators to cancel?

I get the sense (and please correct me if I am wrong) that Key Largo boats are more prone to weather cancellations than the Palm Beach/Jupiter boats.

Is the Blue Heron Bridge usually still a good shore dive if the local boats cancel due to weather?

TBH, unless it's gale they don't cancel, at least by hillsboro or port everglades. Last time we went out before the hurricane like 2 months ago or something and there were 5-8 foot breakers.... The keys you can dive more inland or on the west coast, almost always calm even when it's windy.

<TG>

 

[Ana]

Today was rough out of Hillsboro but the next 3 days is supposed to be around 2' seas.
Won't make up for all the missing weekends since the end of September, but I gladly take these 3 days in a row.
Everything is ready to go. Hopefully I'll get to write about it.

 

[Johnoly]

..using them together we were correct ....90+% of the time..

That's what we do.......find agreement among 3-4 different sources. In Jupiter we're lucky because we have a long range live camera on top of a 15 story condo with a full weather station w/history. We can look at Windfinder, Noaa IV, SeaWeed, etc and see which site predicted current conditions being recorded live and make the decision

But we also want to get an idea of what currents are Forecasted 3 days in advance and that's really tough. So far it's been "Passages" that has been really accurate.

 

[Swedinsidemount]

Today was rough out of Hillsboro but the next 3 days is supposed to be around 2' seas.
Won't make up for all the missing weekends since the end of September, but I gladly take these 3 days in a row.
Everything is ready to go. Hopefully I'll get to write about it.

Update for Nov. 27, winds seem to be quite calm and the ICW is smooth as well...

<TG.

 

[Ana]

From the NOAA page:

< TODAY East winds around 5 knots. Seas less than 2 feet. Period 3 seconds. Intracoastal waters smooth. Slight chance of showers in the afternoon.>

Looks pretty good in the back. Trees are still, the water like mirror with few ripples after mullets jump here and there. Definetly a promising day.

Yesterday that 3 second period made it just a hair bumpy but we had great dives.
Today we're planning to anchor after the dives for a meal and possibly a nap.

Enjoy your Saturday!

 

[scubadada]

From the NOAA page:

< TODAY East winds around 5 knots. Seas less than 2 feet. Period 3 seconds. Intracoastal waters smooth. Slight chance of showers in the afternoon.>

Looks pretty good in the back. Trees are still, the water like mirror with few ripples after mullets jump here and there. Definetly a promising day.

Yesterday that 3 second period made it just a hair bumpy but we had great dives.
Today we're planning to anchor after the dives for a meal and possibly a nap.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Wish I was down, SI of 69 days as of today . Hope to go diving before the end of the year

 

[Ana]

Wish I was down, SI of 69 days as of today . Hope to go diving before the end of the year

I can't like that post.

Obviously you have plenty of company on that extended SI.
I don't know how to endure it, and hope to never have to learn.