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Weather & Water Conditions
Monitoring the weather
Understanding weather and water conditions is very important. Operators should seek out current, relevant information before heading out and know how to get updates while on the water. This requires the knowledge and skill to use a marine radio.
A receiver for continuous marine weather forecasts is available and distributed through marine equipment supply outlets.
Marine weather forecasts
Marine weather forecasts can be obtained from:
- Channels 21B, 25B and 83B on the Atlantic Coast and Great Lakes
- Channels 21B and Wx1, 2, 3 on the Pacific Coast
- VHF broadcasts from Weatheradio Canada (Environment Canada) in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax
- Canadian Marine Weather
- Regular AM and FM radio channel forecasts
- Television weather channels and telephone services, where they exist
When heading out, make sure the conditions you see match those predicted. Once under way, remember to keep your eye on the sky. If the sky looks dark and cloudy and conditions are changing rapidly, head for shore (check your charts in advance to know where to seek shelter).
Summer thunderstorms can strike quickly and unexpectedly. Other indicators bad weather is approaching are falling barometric pressure, increasing winds and changes in wind direction that can affect wave action.
Environment Canada uses special wind terms in marine weather forecasts:
- Light wind (10 knots* or less)
- Moderate wind (11– 21 knots)
- Strong wind (20– 33 knots)
- Gales (34– 47 knots)
- Storm force wind (48– 63 knots)
- Hurricane (64 knots or more)
* One knot is one nautical mile an hour (1.852 km/h)
Environment Canada Weather and Tide Info:
