Weather, what VELA Cup Tuscany has taught us.
THE PERFECT GIFT!
Give or treat yourself to a subscription to the print + digital Journal of Sailing and for only 69 euros a year you get the magazine at home plus read it on your PC, smartphone and tablet. With a sea of advantages.
The weather conditions we had in front of the waters of Marina Cala de’ Medici during the VELA Cup Toscana teach us how to interpret the weather not only in view of upcoming regattas (such as the VELA Cup Puglia in Brindisi next weekend) but also for upcoming summer vacation cruises. We explain what we learned with the support of the weather debriefing prepared by Riccardo Ravagnan and sent to all crews registered for the regatta by VELA Cup partner Meteomed.
Dear participants,
the regatta on Saturday, May 24, was not only a beautiful day at sea, but also a practical lesson in meteorology applied to sailing. The wind change, its intensity, distribution on the line and even the clouds… everything spoke volumes for those who knew how to listen.
Here is what happened, what we anticipated, and what we can take home as concrete experience.
The start: wind from the NE, but lighter below the coast
At 11:00 a.m., the wind was blowing from the northeast at 7 to 9 knots, well below the expected 10 to 13 knots offshore. Why this discrepancy? It is the classic effect of coastal orography. The hills and relief behind Marina Cala de’ Medici create a wind shadow that slows and deflects the synoptic flow in the first few kilometers from the coast. The forecast was correct in describing the wind in the middle of the field, but those who were close to shore found themselves with less pressure and more instability.
Practical lesson: Knowing the orography and being able to “read” it in the context of the expected wind is critical to choosing the right edge from the start.
The transition: the change from NE to NNO
Between 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. we witnessed a definite wind shift, with the direction changing from NE to NNO/ONO and the intensity quickly rising above 15 knots.
What happened? This was not a classic thermal breeze, but the entry to the ground of a synoptic flow from the northwest, already present in the lower layers of the atmosphere. This flow was “activated” by the warming of the ground and the resulting vertical mixing, i.e., the turbulence that allowed the air at altitude to reach the surface.
The clouds have spoken clearly
The conditions observed at sea confirmed this perfectly:
- on the mainland in the early afternoon, warming cumulus formed, an indication that the ground was warming and thus ready to “push” air upward;
- From the open sea, on the other hand, high, threadlike clouds (cirrus) were arriving, heralding the presence of the NW flow aloft.
When these two pushes met, the wind at altitude dropped to the surface. The jump came not in “spots” as a local breeze, but as a compact and coherent line of wind that literally reshaped the race course within minutes.
Wind consolidation and the last part of the regatta
From 2:30 p.m. onward, the wind from NNO settled steadily across the field. The sea remained little rough, but with short, rippling waves from OSO. Boats began to sail heeled, at times gliding, and those who were able to anticipate the rotation found themselves in an advantageous position.
Weather-tactical lesson: those who observed the sky and the horizon could predict the jump before the instruments. This is the value of good situational awareness in racing.
What do we take home from this day?
- The importance of orography: knowing the coast is as important as knowing the sails.
- Not all wind changes are breeze: sometimes it is the synoptic flow that “comes down” through instability.
- Clouds tell it all: cumulus over land = convection in progress; cirrus from the sea = incoming flow.
- Reading the field is a tactical skill, not just a technical one: those who anticipate the jump gain decisive meters.
We are happy to have accompanied you again this time, not only with the forecast, but with practical tools to better read the sky, wind and sea. See you on the next leg–evenbetter prepared!
The Meteomed team – Weather for those who sail
Friday, May 30 / Sunday, June 1 (regatta: Saturday, May 31)
Salento, Marina di Brindisi
Friday, June 27 / Sunday, June 29 (regatta: Saturday, June 28)
Porto Rafael / Palau, Marina di Porto Rafael
Wednesday, Aug. 20 / Friday, Aug. 22 (regatta: Thursday, Aug. 21)
Gulf of Cugnana / Porto Rotondo, Marina Cala dei Sardi
Friday, September 26 / Sunday, September 28 (regatta: Saturday, September 27)
Procida Island, Marina di Procida
Friday, Oct. 3/Sunday, Oct. 5 (regatta: Saturday, Oct. 4)
Capo d’Orlando/Eolie, Capo d’Orlando Marina
Share:
Check out the latest issue
Are you already a subscriber?
Ultimi annunci
Our social
Sign up for our Newsletter
We give you a gift
Sailing, its stories, all boats, accessories. Sign up now for our free newsletter and receive the best news selected by the Sailing Newspaper editorial staff each week. Plus we give you one month of GdV digitally on PC, Tablet, Smartphone. Enter your email below, agree to the Privacy Policy and click the “sign me up” button. You will receive a code to activate your month of GdV for free!
You may also be interested in.
The VELA Cup 2025 was a success. Thanks to all of you!
The VELA Cup 2025 saw seven spectacular stages take place along the Italian coast from May to October in some of the most picturesque and beloved locations for sailors. From Chiavari in May to Capo d’Orlando in October, each of
In three days we will see you in Procida for the VELA Cup. Sign up now!
VELA Cup Procida is about to kick off: in just three days, on September 27, the picturesque Marina di Procida will be transformed into the beating heart of sailing in the Gulf of Naples. With more than 70 boats already
Tomorrow is VELA Cup Procida: last hours to register!
Everything is ready for the start tomorrow of the VELA Cup Procida 2025, the event that will close the summer season with a spectacular rendezvous in the heart of the Gulf of Naples. The more than 80 registered boats are
Grand Final for the VELA Cup 2025 in Capo d’Orlando. The story, PHOTOS and CLASSIFICATIONS.
Once again this year the VELA Cup ended in grand style with the last leg of the year in Capo d’Orlando, the ideal gateway to a beautiful cruise in the Aeolian Islands. Organized in collaboration with Capo d’Orlando Marina and
