WindCast is a tool, not a decision
WindCast shows measurements from weather stations and forecasts from weather models, corrected for the deviation measured at that moment. That makes the information useful for race preparation, but not infallible.
Never use WindCast as the only basis for safety decisions.
What WindCast is not
- Not a navigation aid
- Not a substitute for official forecasts, warnings or national weather services
- Not a basis for decisions on going out, routing, or cancelling a race
What to keep in mind
Measurements can be out of date. Each station shows how old its measurement is. Stale measurements are dimmed, but a station can also fail silently.
A station measures one spot. Wind on the water can differ considerably from wind at a station on shore or at an airport, even over short distances.
The correction is based on the recent past. If the weather changes character, a correction that worked well moments ago can suddenly be wrong. WindCast warns about this, but that warning is not watertight.
Models can simply be wrong — including the one that currently ranks best.
Your responsibility
You remain responsible for your own decisions on and around the water. Always follow official forecasts and warnings, the instructions of the race committee, and your own judgement of the conditions.