| Can you explain your role within the team? |
I am the team Weather Forecaster covering all the weather and tide requirements from an education, research and forecasting angle. |
| How did you get involved with the team? |
I was contacted by Peter Bentley (technical manager) in 2007 when the role became available. I was working in Aberporth for the Met Office but had previously expressed an interest in the role within the team. Having previously been sailing a 470 and hoping to do an Olympic campaign I was well aware of the potential job and also knew many of the team members already. |
| What skills do you need to perform your role, and is sailing experience essential? |
The obvious is knowledge of the weather! But sailing and particularly a reasonable high standard of racing experience definitely helps you to understand what the key weather changes for a racing sailor will be. |
| Can you explain what a normal day as a meteorologist involves? |
At an event it is an early start, usually between 5:30 and 6:00. I then prepare a forecast ready to provide a briefing for the coaches and sailors. Throughout the day I monitor real time data and provide updates to the coaches and sailors where necessary. At the end of the day around 7:00pm a debrief is usually held where we discuss what happened over the day. |
| Do the sailors have a high level of understanding of meteorology and how do you help develop their skills in understanding it? |
Knowledge within the squad of sailors varies. A large part of my role is to improve the education of the sailors so they have a better understanding and can use the information where necessary to make better decisions. |
| Weather is one of the biggest factors in sailing, how do the sailors and squad react when you don’t give them an ideal forecast? |
It depends what an ideal forecast is! Some like windy some like no wind. But there is the usual banter and sometimes it doesn’t quite go according to plan! It is probably one of the few jobs in the world where you can get it wrong and not lose your job! I like to think that when the forecast does go wrong there is generally a significant amount of uncertainty conveyed within the initial forecast of the day. |
| What resources do you use to predict the weather? |
I can’t give away my trade secrets! But there are a variety of weather models freely available and cross comparison is always good. |
| If you weren’t a meteorologist what else would you be? |
A full time sailor or Geophysicist ( go and find oil, or monitor earthquakes) |
| Best moment in your career so far? |
Olympic Games in China 2008 – as it was really difficult place to forecast for and was a great challenge. Also on a day to day basis when things go spot on and confidence is instilled in the forecast that is a real buzz. |
| What would you love to do but never have the time or money for it? |
Go and see the blue icebergs in Antarctica maybe I will be able to afford it when I retire!!! Do a bit more sailing! |
| What’s your worst habit? |
Probably asking too many questions! |
| Name 3 things that are always in your shopping trolley? |
Ice Magic (chocolate sauce that dries hard on your ice cream, soooo good!), nooooooodles ( and I liked them before I went to China) and some kind of smoothie. |
| What was the last book you read ? |
A Clive Cussler novel with Dirk Pitt – I am sucker for the James Bond style highly unrealistic novels. |
| What’s your favourite boat to sail? |
Tricky – I sail an SB3 which is good racing and great fun to sail but not my favourite boat….this I feel I have yet to discover. Maybe the B14 with the mighty Disco Disco Simon Briscoe (performance analyst) because we can’t sail it very well so it is quite amusing when we try! |