Weatherman on Deck

Doug, with two invests out there and this the begining of the busy season, what is your take on 92L and 93L?

Hey Doug - call me crazy, but I've noticed (along with others at the dock) that the marine weather forecasts for our area (Mid-Atlantic, MD/DE/VA) have actually become less specific and less accurate then they used to be. In fact, the timing can be traced back to a specific switch or change of some nature about 5 or 6 years ago, when the NOAA broadcasts around here switched channels, and became much more broad in nature.

Hi Doug:

I notice that on some mornings that there is dew all over my boat and on other mornings it is bone dry.  Can you tell what causes  this?  Is it any indication of that day's weather?

Well...with only a week before the official beginning of the 2008 hurricane season...NOAA this past week presented the Climate Prediction Center's outlook for hurricane activity.  Due to the waning La Nina and continued above average sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic...the prediction is for a slightly above average season this year.  Now...I must say...more importantly...any year can be devastating to your boat, property, and life.  It is imperative that you prepare now.  Make a plan if there is a hurricane or tropical storm headed for your area.  If you have a boat...

Well...with only a week before the official beginning of the 2008 hurricane season...NOAA this past week presented the Climate Prediction Center's outlook for hurricane activity.  Due to the waning La Nina and continued above average sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic...the prediction is for a slightly above average season this year.  Now...I must say...more importantly...any year can be devastating to your boat, property, and life.  It is imperative that you prepare now.  Make a plan if there is a hurricane or tropical storm headed for your area.  If you have a boat...

Do you (or anyone else here) have an opinion of the selection of weather data provided by XM vs Sirius Radio?  Is there a difference in resolution, geographical area, or currency?

We are moving our boat to Florida with great trepidation about what this will mean in terms of dealing with hurricanes.

Are there areas of Florida that have greater frequencey or stronger hurricanes than other areas?

I understand the hurricane season spans June to December. Are there months in whch the frequency and/or intensity are greater than others? It seems, I hear more about big hurricanes in the Fall.

One question on my mind – and I'm sure I'm not alone – is when the weather will allow me to get the boat back on the water. Late March? Mid April?

I know weather forecasting is one art that gets darker the farther you peer into the future (the 10-day forecast on weather.com is even suspect). But can you recommend any tools out there that may give a hint as to what the weather may look a month down the road?

Do weather pros put any stock at all in almanacs? Is there something better? 

Hi Doug --

I live in Canada under the metric system. We are blessed with a highly sophisticated weather forcasting organization (Environment Canada) at www.theweathernetwork.com . When checking my local weather, barometric pressure is stated in kPa, is this the same as mb?

I inherited a borometer from my father who joined the Merchant Navy based in New Zealand in 1931. The dial calibrations are in inches of mercury ranging from 27"to 31.9". Is there a formula to convert inches of mercury to kPa?