Greek Islands Sailing - Meltemi Winds
Mar 4th, 2004, 08:19 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Greek Islands Sailing - Meltemi Winds
My family and I (including two children) will be sailing around the Cyclades on a chartered yacht (about 100') for a week in August. From what I have read, we will be there in the midst of when the Meltemi winds are at their fiercest. My understanding is that while the winds can be fierce, the waves are not too bad. Should seasickness be a concern for us? How best to combat it on this kind of trip?
Mar 4th, 2004, 09:44 PM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,804
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
During my first visit to the Cyclades I experienced a wind so fierce everything closed down for 48 hours. The seas were extremely rough, I definitely wouldn't want to be sailing during a storm like that. It's rare and impossible to predict, so I think you're just going to have to take your chances. I think the only thing you might be able to do is to keep a sharp eye on the weather. If you'll have a wireless laptop or the yacht has sattellite imaging capability you should be able to predict with some degree of accuracy just what you're heading into and perhaps head for the nearest sheltered cove. Good Luck, I hope it's a wonderful time. My experience was in May, not August. I don't remember too much heavy wind in August, let's hope there's none for you.
Mar 5th, 2004, 10:02 AM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
I do suffer from sea sickness & it is hell travelling on a small boat in rough weather. The only way of combating it is to be on dry land. So here are the average figures, not particularly useful due to the obvious chance factor. The meltemi can spring up at any time possibly for a few days in my experience.
May calm beaufort <4 ... 14 days
windy beaufort >6 ... 6 days
August calm beaufort <4 ... 7 days
windy beaufort >6 ... 12 days
May calm beaufort <4 ... 14 days
windy beaufort >6 ... 6 days
August calm beaufort <4 ... 7 days
windy beaufort >6 ... 12 days
Mar 10th, 2004, 10:17 PM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I looked this up for other reasons this morning, but it's clearly relevant to you:-
The Meltemi wind was known by the old Greeks as the Etesian northern winds, and results from a high pressure system (>1025) laying over the Balkan/Hungary area and a relatively low pressure (<1010) system over Turkey.
Although this katabatic wind can bring about harsh sailing conditions it also provides cooling, low humidity and good visibility. Furthermore, it can be characterized as one of the few Mediterranean winds that do not necessarily die out at the end of the day and can easily last more than three to six days. See my climate page for Greek weather statistics.
The onset is the monsoonal effect of the summer season that leads to the development of an intense heat trough over southern Asia extending westward over the Anatolian plateau. Higher pressure dominates over the relatively cooler surface of the Mediterranean Sea, and settled, dry weather persists. Northerly winds prevail along the Greek coast during the winter also, but only those northerly winds occurring between May and November are considered Etesian. The pressure gradients necessary to drive the Meltemi result from a combination of:
The monsoonal ef-fect dur-ing the sum-mer that leads to a low pres-sure trough over Tur-key. Ete-sian winds flow from a high pres-sure ridge over the Bal-kans toward the trough. During a strong Ete-sian, the trough may ex-tend rela-tively far to the west and be-yond Rho-des. It may also form a closed low, resul-ting in almost calm winds at Rho-des.
Synop-tic condi-tions leading to anti-cyclo-gene-sis over the Bal-kans.
A jet-ef-fect in-crease of wind caus-ed by chan-nel-ling of the wind between islands and mountain valleys. These effects tend to render wind reports from certain locations unrepresentative. In the lee of Crete, katabatic flow off the mountains generates gusty winds similar to the Föhn of the Alps. The mountain valleys tend to channel the flow which increases the wind velocity.
The surface flow is generally divergent in an Etesian situation, and the weather is generally thought to be dry with clear skies. However, this is mostly true only during July and August when scat-tered alto-cumulus appear a day before an Etesian, and the only other clouds are oro-graphic types that may form on the lee side of islands in stronger Etesian winds.
The Meltemi occurs mainly during the summer season (June - September with 70%), but also in May and October one may frequently experience this dry wind.
One should anticipate its maximum during July and August.
Usually the wind starts in the early afternoon reaching 4-5 Beaufort and dies out at sun set. However, not uncommonly it reaches 5-7 Bft during the day, perseveres during the night and blows 5-7 Bft again the next day; a pattern which can easily be repeated over many days, sometimes even up to ten days.
If during this period sailing to windward cannot be avoided, it can be very wise to lift anchor at dawn and to cover as many miles as possible before the wind starts.
Important guidelines
Due to the katabatic nature of the meltemi one can experience strong fall winds on the leeward side of the islands, notorious are Kea (we did survive though), Evvia, Tinos and Andros, Folegandros, Kos, Serifos, Amorgos and Sifnos. An orographic cloud to leeward of the mountain spells danger.
When the wind encounters very high cliffs on the North shore of an island, a calm -extending several miles off shore - can be expected. Good examples are Amorgos, Paros and Naxos.
In the wide corridor between de dodecanese and cycladic islands the Meltemi blows undisturbed over 100 miles. Within six hours of a 30-knot wind, the waves can reach heights over three meters. The adverse currents make these waves steeper, which can be seriously dangerous for yachts smaller than 10 meter.
The Ionian Sea in the west of Greece is not affected by these Etesian winds but experiences a reliable Maistro wind throughout the sailing season. For an explanation on the Maistro wind please visit my page on Sailing routes in the Ionian.
Expect funnelling winds, which can make certain straits dangerous to pass because of currents and higher wind velocities. Classical areas are: between Andros and Evvia (currents up to 5 knots!); between Ikaria and Samos till the Fournoi-archipelago; Between Paros and Naxos; North side of Amorgos; West side of Karpathos. Sometimes South of both Kea and Kythnos.
Tell-tales for your own Meltemi 24-36 hour prediction:
Higher predicted atmospheric pressure over the Balkan/Northern Aegean.
A sudden drop in humidity (first morning without dew on deck).
Scattered little altocumulus clouds one day in advance.
A clear improvement of visibility combined with a raise in atmospheric pressure (4 hPa within 12 hours).
The Meltemi wind was known by the old Greeks as the Etesian northern winds, and results from a high pressure system (>1025) laying over the Balkan/Hungary area and a relatively low pressure (<1010) system over Turkey.
Although this katabatic wind can bring about harsh sailing conditions it also provides cooling, low humidity and good visibility. Furthermore, it can be characterized as one of the few Mediterranean winds that do not necessarily die out at the end of the day and can easily last more than three to six days. See my climate page for Greek weather statistics.
The onset is the monsoonal effect of the summer season that leads to the development of an intense heat trough over southern Asia extending westward over the Anatolian plateau. Higher pressure dominates over the relatively cooler surface of the Mediterranean Sea, and settled, dry weather persists. Northerly winds prevail along the Greek coast during the winter also, but only those northerly winds occurring between May and November are considered Etesian. The pressure gradients necessary to drive the Meltemi result from a combination of:
The monsoonal ef-fect dur-ing the sum-mer that leads to a low pres-sure trough over Tur-key. Ete-sian winds flow from a high pres-sure ridge over the Bal-kans toward the trough. During a strong Ete-sian, the trough may ex-tend rela-tively far to the west and be-yond Rho-des. It may also form a closed low, resul-ting in almost calm winds at Rho-des.
Synop-tic condi-tions leading to anti-cyclo-gene-sis over the Bal-kans.
A jet-ef-fect in-crease of wind caus-ed by chan-nel-ling of the wind between islands and mountain valleys. These effects tend to render wind reports from certain locations unrepresentative. In the lee of Crete, katabatic flow off the mountains generates gusty winds similar to the Föhn of the Alps. The mountain valleys tend to channel the flow which increases the wind velocity.
The surface flow is generally divergent in an Etesian situation, and the weather is generally thought to be dry with clear skies. However, this is mostly true only during July and August when scat-tered alto-cumulus appear a day before an Etesian, and the only other clouds are oro-graphic types that may form on the lee side of islands in stronger Etesian winds.
The Meltemi occurs mainly during the summer season (June - September with 70%), but also in May and October one may frequently experience this dry wind.
One should anticipate its maximum during July and August.
Usually the wind starts in the early afternoon reaching 4-5 Beaufort and dies out at sun set. However, not uncommonly it reaches 5-7 Bft during the day, perseveres during the night and blows 5-7 Bft again the next day; a pattern which can easily be repeated over many days, sometimes even up to ten days.
If during this period sailing to windward cannot be avoided, it can be very wise to lift anchor at dawn and to cover as many miles as possible before the wind starts.
Important guidelines
Due to the katabatic nature of the meltemi one can experience strong fall winds on the leeward side of the islands, notorious are Kea (we did survive though), Evvia, Tinos and Andros, Folegandros, Kos, Serifos, Amorgos and Sifnos. An orographic cloud to leeward of the mountain spells danger.
When the wind encounters very high cliffs on the North shore of an island, a calm -extending several miles off shore - can be expected. Good examples are Amorgos, Paros and Naxos.
In the wide corridor between de dodecanese and cycladic islands the Meltemi blows undisturbed over 100 miles. Within six hours of a 30-knot wind, the waves can reach heights over three meters. The adverse currents make these waves steeper, which can be seriously dangerous for yachts smaller than 10 meter.
The Ionian Sea in the west of Greece is not affected by these Etesian winds but experiences a reliable Maistro wind throughout the sailing season. For an explanation on the Maistro wind please visit my page on Sailing routes in the Ionian.
Expect funnelling winds, which can make certain straits dangerous to pass because of currents and higher wind velocities. Classical areas are: between Andros and Evvia (currents up to 5 knots!); between Ikaria and Samos till the Fournoi-archipelago; Between Paros and Naxos; North side of Amorgos; West side of Karpathos. Sometimes South of both Kea and Kythnos.
Tell-tales for your own Meltemi 24-36 hour prediction:
Higher predicted atmospheric pressure over the Balkan/Northern Aegean.
A sudden drop in humidity (first morning without dew on deck).
Scattered little altocumulus clouds one day in advance.
A clear improvement of visibility combined with a raise in atmospheric pressure (4 hPa within 12 hours).
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
minervajeanne
Caribbean Islands
4
Apr 6th, 2005 07:37 PM
