Weather Information
The Yacht Club in 2004 installed a Davis Instruments weather station. During 2005 the wealth of information from this will be put on-line and will be available, virtually live, (hourly updates) on this page.
Very briefly, the major influences on Huon Gulf weather are -
SouthEast Season (May to October) - South East 'Trade' Winds generated from anti-clockwise circulation around highs moving west to east through southern Australia and New Zealand - despite the distance! The winds are accompanied by plenty of moisture picked up during the lengthy travel over water, much of which gets deposited on arrival, hence this is also our 'wet' season. We are fortunate in that the strength of these winds is reduced in our local area by the PNG land mass which stretches to the southeast in the path of the wind - travelling east of Cape Gerhards and into the Vitiaz will get you the full-on SE experience, generally an extra 10 to 15 knots! At the same time the big swells generated in the Coral Sea are dissipated by the enormous reef area stretching between Cape Ward Hunt and the Trobriand Islands.
Expect light 2-8 knot SE in the mornings picking up to 10-15 during the afternoon as the rising hot air off the landmass applies a little added suction. Always good for a dose of Markham chop and plenty of spray for the final couple of miles into Lae.
NorthWest Season (December - April) - the North East 'Trade' Winds north of the equator swing across the equator and become north westerly delivering their moisture load to PNG's northern coast - hence this is the 'wet' on the north coast and, since much of the moisture drops out over the coast & mountains, it is our 'dry'. The 'normal' NW season day in Lae will start in the early hours with westerly 'Markham' winds of up to 25 knots gradually abating to zero at around 10am - in the afternoon local light to moderate onshore winds (SE) will be generated by the rising hot air off the landmass followed in the evening by a thunderstorm.
The southern 'highs' during this season have moved south, tracking through the latitude of the Great Australian Bight, reducing their influence on the weather here. From time to time lows appear in Coral Sea latitudes and, depending on their intensity, will have the effect of drawing the Markham north westerlies to greater strength and endurance. Cyclones in the Coral Sea south of us will cause the north westerly to persist longer, sometimes all day bringing low humidity and higher than normal temperatures. As with the SE you will only get the full-on NW experience by travelling into exposed seas east of Cape Gerhards - the dividing line between light zephirs and 30 knots can be a knife edge in the water five miles east of Tami Island - Tami side flat calm seas and the other side raging white water. The position of this dividing line varies depending on the exact direction of the winds as they funnel past the mountains of the mainland and Fortification Point in particular.
ALWAYS be very cautious and prepared for ANYTHING when travelling into the Vitiaz in the north west season!
Doldrums (between seasons) - in the Lae area the doldrums after the SE and before the NW are generally 'reliable' and longer lasting stretching from around mid November to early January. This is the time for travel, whether it be east to Siassi, Arawe's, New Britain or south east to the magic of Egum Atoll, Woodlark or the 'Trobes. The NW-SE doldrum is flightier and difficult to pin down, often only evident for a few days appearing anytime between late March and late April.
The doldrums are essentially the meeting point between the south easterlies and the north westerlies which are present year-round - opposing winds, even of 30 knots, will result in an area in between where there is virtually no wind. Since both the SE and the NW are always present there will always be a 'doldrum' band whose latitude depends on the relative pressure on either side - i.e. as the southern highs move further north the SE pressure forces the NW north also and with it the doldrums in between - this is gradual and thus the doldrums will take around a month to move north from Milne Bay to New Ireland in March-April and a similar time to move south in December-January.
Other sources of weather information with some meaning for this area are -
OceanWeather.com - this is a U.S. based website which takes data from Satellite feeds and regular reporting direct from many vessels as they traverse the seven seas. Go http://www.oceanweather.com/data/ - click the map & then check out the Wave Graphics and Marine Observations.
Australian Bureau of Meterology (BOM) where you can find a variety of information and forecasts -
Current Synoptic (Sea Level Pressure) Chart - posts at 0100, 0700, 1300 & 1900 PNG Time & valid approx 3 hrs prior
Sea Level Pressure Gradient 4-Day Forecast - a prediction for following four days
Selection of Weather Charts - many with particular relevance to PNG inc. the above
A large variety of Charts available via BOM's fax service, also available here
Wind Stream Analysis - posts at 0425 & 1625 PNG Time & shows wind flow, direction & speed
High Seas Forecast (Queensland & Coral Seas Waters) - useful for cyclone information
BuoyWeather.com - http://www.buoyweather.com/wxnav.jsp?region=new_guinea&program=Maps - click on a red dot in the area you are interested. It should be noted however that the forecasts detailed here, while very detailed, are computer generated from data collected a long way from this area - worth a look but....