Ok, so I check seabreeze and the bom for general run downs on the wind in certain locations. However I am thinking about trying to actually learn how to read the graphs and make sense of highs and lows and all that jazz. Will doing so save me time waiting for the wind on the beach and driving an hour east, west and north? I have been caught out a few times when i've referenced bom and seabreeze, and headed an hour out to the beach thinking it will kick in, and there hasn't been a sparrow's fart worth of wind around.
Is it time to get educated?
Yeah experts do get it wrong mate. I think ill get it right because I'm god.
I'm trying to educate myself and therefore make more educated guesses when I'm driving an hour to get to a spot. Seabreeze and Bom offer a rough summary. I'd like to know whether I'd be better off being able to interpret the weather than just a green arrow or 20 knots around lunch?
If Seabreeze live readings show a turn in wind direction and strength at about midday, or green arows, I get in the car. If I get to the beach and there are whitecaps, I pump up. If not, I wait. That's about as complex as my weather predictions efforts are.
Why not learn though if you're keen?
This link should give you some understanding of forecasting the wind
www.bom.gov.au/info/ftweather/index.shtml
When you have finished reading it can you please let me know what the winds doing tomorrow 
When you realize whats involved with weather forecasting I think you can understand why the experts get it wrong sometimes.
Ask the local guys that have been living there for a while for their knowledge of wind in that area (this could save you a lot of driving itself)
Good luck
Start now ... So in time you will get a good feel for it. It's not hard I don't get what the fuss is about.. But then back in the day you could only predict swell quite roughly. And wind about three days or somin advance unless the pattern was really set in.
!
But now!!!! I would just love the Internet to shut down so
I could get some uncrowded surf!!!!!
There is always more to learn.. I started at 13 and 20'years later I really only just started understanding the trough movements coz I started to kite and quit cursing the seabreeze!! Lol
You gotta understand the local effects as well.
E.g. for VIC:
When its 30kn Easterly at Fawkener, you often get just ~25 knots in Altona, and even less when its NE.
On a 30kn Northerly, measured at South Channel island, you might get 20kn or less in Frankston and 25kn in Rosebud at the beach.
On a SW/WSW Altona often has a tad less wind than St Kilda and Brighton.
In St Kilda, the breezes are likely to be a knot or two stronger due to the city heating up more..
As a yachtie who does the occassional distance offshore race I use this alot.
www.bom.gov.au/marine/wind.shtml
I find I can see what's coming much better than SB at times and also shows me the whole coast, not just set locations.
Yes, the highs & lows (synoptics) are the key to getting a better idea of why green arrows are forecast is being able to read synoptic charts, and they're not that hard to understand. Especially in winter, where you can "pick your fronts" - you'll be able to tell a real epic one from a fizzer.
Some info here: www.seabreeze.com.au/info/wind.asp
(When looking at the 7 day forecast graph, click on it to view the synoptics)
Yep its pretty easy. Highs go anti-clockwise, Lows go clockwise.
If a low is below 980 you know its going to be a howling front. The closer the isobars, the windier it will be.
as kids we had to learn without technology. just a weather map. now thats learning to read! especially as every area has its own characteristics.
