# Question on wind n wave forecast



## gooseboy (Jul 11, 2008)

So I’m not a regular big water guy with a “pick your days” type boat. I’ve been on Saginaw Bay East Grand Traverse(yeah that forecast was way wrong) trolled most harbors on the west side and yet I can motor on the PM River. I’ve been finding several wind forecast sites and from what I seen wind direction and speed and wave height are always available however there is another smaller number as well. Is this number forecasting wave intervals? If so the greater the number the longer the distance between waves and the less the number the shorter the distance? Maybe I’m wrong but help or reassurance would be great.

Thanks in advance 

Gooseboy 


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## Jim_MI (Jul 9, 2012)

It would help if you posted a link to the site with which you are having trouble. 

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## gooseboy (Jul 11, 2008)

I think I attached this correctly


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## OneidaEagle (Sep 25, 2008)

gooseboy said:


> So I’m not a regular big water guy with a “pick your days” type boat. I’ve been on Saginaw Bay East Grand Traverse(yeah that forecast was way wrong) trolled most harbors on the west side and yet I can motor on the PM River. I’ve been finding several wind forecast sites and from what I seen wind direction and speed and wave height are always available however there is another smaller number as well. *Is this number forecasting wave intervals? If so the greater the number the longer the distance between waves and the less the num*ber the shorter the distance? Maybe I’m wrong but help or reassurance would be great.
> 
> Thanks in advance
> 
> ...


Short Answer is YES, that is exactly what that is, I use that allot.

OE


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## Jim_MI (Jul 9, 2012)

Not familiar with this app, but it looks like the small number on the left is the time of day in military time and the small number on the right is the wave period in seconds.

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## gooseboy (Jul 11, 2008)

Thanks eagle! So if the wave forecast is less than a foot with say 4 sec intervals does that kinda indicate slick conditions?


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## OneidaEagle (Sep 25, 2008)

gooseboy said:


> Thanks eagle! So if the wave forecast is less than a foot with say 4 sec intervals does that kinda indicate slick conditions?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Means that the lake is really FLAT

I verify it by sending a text to the "Great Lakes Observatory System" and get back real time info as well.

You need to know the buoy # though.

For example, text 45029 (The Holland Buoy #) to 616-207-0155 (GLOS Auto Reply phone #)

You will get back real time info from the Holland Buoy.

OE


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## Fish This! (Jun 25, 2006)

You got it. The seconds identify the wave periods. With light winds and small waves not really relevant. But with waves over 2 or 3 feet the seconds and wind will tell you if they are just rollers or a real chop with whitecaps. A 3 foot sea with 7 seconds of space will be worse than a 4 foot sea with 12 seconds of space.


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## Wobble (Sep 13, 2004)

I use the Windfinder app as well, have found it to be fairly accurate when fishing Lake Michigan and Erie. Something I do when looking at the wave height is just “double the #” to get an idea of what I will be dealing with. So, if it’s .5’ then I plan on 1’ seas or so. Right or wrong, it works for me. Just remember, it they say 1-2 foot waves, that’s the average. That means there are some 3 ft mixed in. I also compare data against another app called FishWeather. They both seem to provide accurate data. 


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## gooseboy (Jul 11, 2008)

Wobble said:


> I use the Windfinder app as well, have found it to be fairly accurate when fishing Lake Michigan and Erie. Something I do when looking at the wave height is just “double the #” to get an idea of what I will be dealing with. So, if it’s .5’ then I plan on 1’ seas or so. Right or wrong, it works for me. Just remember, it they say 1-2 foot waves, that’s the average. That means there are some 3 ft mixed in. I also compare data against another app called FishWeather. They both seem to provide accurate data.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


Thanks. Safety first I’ll definitely check out fishweather as well. I appreciate it


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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

The waves are measured from the lake surface not the bottom of the trough which I have learned the hard way. I have paddled from Lac La Belle to Brimley. That is a bunch of waves.


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## georgeb (Sep 17, 2008)

Watch the whitecaps for a clue on if the waves are building or dying. Whitecaps typically form at over 10 Knots of wind and get bigger as the wind velocity increases. If the whitecaps are blown over thee front of the wave and getting longer along the face of the wave then the waves are building height and the interval between will decrease leading to steep chop. If the white caps roll off the backside of the wave then the interval of the waves should be decreasing and they are in a dying pattern. Just because there are whitecaps means a small boat might not like the ride no matter the wind velocity

An off shore breeze can kill waves in close but not out deep and an on shore breeze can add height to waves that is not forecasted. This is because the forecast does not take into account the land / water temperature difference and that is where wave sets can get weird.

Please understand this is a general guideline, every wave set is different and they might be building 1 minute and dying the next. Small boat captains MUST take conditions into consideration and act accordingly


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