Today I used this www.bom.gov.au/products/IDN60901/IDN60901.94767.shtml
which I think is the same one that seabreeze uses. (Latest Weather Observations for Sydney Airport)

When I left home at 4pm it suggested 15knots N and NNW gusting to 20, when I got to ramsgate at around 5, hardly a ripple on the water, looked about 8knots gusting to 13 tops. Oh well rigged up anyway :-), 6.5 and 100L (and yep no way it was anything like what BOM or seabreeze site says).

Wobled around for an hour, average windspeed I am guessing around 8, came back checked the site, sure enough BOM site still calling 12-14knots average with 17knots gusts.

I have used these sydney airport readings before with NE and Southerly and its seemed much closer to actual conditions, has anyone had this same problem with a northerly or NWester?

Packed up in disgust, but as I drove up the the road noticed the trees moving, pulled over to Kyeemahg to investigate, wind had switched to S, was stacked on 5.5 for an hour, would have kept going but forgot the headlamps... Site showed 24-26knots, gusting to 33, which I reckon was spot on.

I think the sensor is accurate, but it measures at 10m up. It's just that NW is offshore all along the ramsgate -> kyeemagh beach, and the land there is high and not exactly conducive to letting the air flow smoothly onto the water.

stehsegler said...
For Northwest look at Kurnell. It's more reliable. As a matter of fact in a Nor'wester Kurnell is the only reliable spot anyway.

Yeah that makes sense at 5.30 yesterday sydney airport shows

avg 15 gusts to 19 where as kurnell showed avg 11 gusts to 17
and my eyeball measured 8knots gusting to 13 out in the middle of the bay.

Thanks for that, because its at the airport around a fairly flat area, I had got it into my head that it would be accurate in all directions for locations nearby. (I am sure the meter itself is accurate )