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Weather

Warnings

Waves

Wind

Water levels

Watch

Before heading out and when on the water, it's important to perform the 5 W's of weather safety to decide ‘Weather or not’.

Before going out, make sure you check:

  • Warnings
  • Waves
  • Wind
  • Water levels or tides

And when on the water, always Watch.

Warnings

Marine warnings are issued when dangerous conditions are expected. For example:

  • waves and swell
  • wind, gusts and squalls
  • tides and sea level
  • severe weather.

It’s important you check sources like Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) for warnings at least 72 hours before and every day in the lead up to your voyage. Warnings will often be published as current or forecast. 

If a forecast warning has been issued, ensure you monitor the weather, watch and listen to your surrounds for any changes and know when it’s best to come back to shore. 

Transcript

[Text on screen: Check weather or not you should be out on the water. Transport WA.]

[Music]

[Visual: Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure logo. Weather or not. Five yellow icons with accompanying text: warning issued; waves; winds; water levels or tides; and watch on an aquamarine background.]

[Narration is by Safe boating ambassador David Mundy.]

Mundy: Before you head out on the water,

[Visual: view of a boatshed on the Swan River.]

Mundy: remember to ask, ‘weather or not’.

[Text on screen: Weather or not]

[Visual: Mundy stands in front of a boat ramp.]

Mundy: Prioritise weather as the first point of planning up to 72 hours before your trip and on the day.

[Visual: Mundy wearing an inflatable lifejacket speaking to camera.]

Mundy: Knowing and understanding the weather is the key to a safe and enjoyable boating experience.

[Text and icons on screen: Weather or not. warning issued; waves; winds; water levels or tides; and watch.]

Mundy: These five things will decide ‘weather or not’ you should be on the water. One, warnings.

[Visual: Boats in a boat pen.]

[Text and icon on screen: Warnings: Have any weather warnings been issued?]

Mundy: Have any weather warnings been issued? Including winds, storms and cyclones.

[Visual: A weather map of Australia.]

Mundy: In conditions like these it’s never safe to be on the water.

[Visual: Aerial shot of waves on a beach.]

[Text and icon on screen: Waves. Is the sea and swell a safe height?

Mundy: Two, waves. Is the sea and swell at safe levels?

[Visual: The wake behind a boat in the river, followed by waves in the ocean.]

Mundy: Large swells and sea waves can be dangerous, causing swamping or capsizing.

[Visual: Mundy speaking to camera.]

Mundy: Three, wind.

[Visual: a windsock.]

[Text and icon on screen: Wind. What’s the wind speed and direction?

Mundy: What’s the wind speed and direction? Wind can impact your comfort and safety, increasing your risk of capsizing.

[Visual: Boats in the waves on the ocean, cutting to Mundy speaking to camera.]

Mundy: Four, water levels or tides.

[Visual: Aerial shot of boats on the Swan River.]

[Text and icon on screen. Water levels or tides: Water and tide levels change throughout the day.]

Mundy: Tide levels change throughout the day and can affect launching, retrieving, or crossing sandbars.

[Visual: A boathouse and boats cutting to Mundy speaking to camera.]

Mundy: And five, watch.

[Text and icon on screen: Watch: Watch what’s happening around you.]

[Visual: a boat moving on the ocean along the coast.]

Mundy: The weather can change quickly so watch what’s happening around you.

[Visual: Mundy speaking to camera cutting to a mobile phone showing the weather apps.]

Mundy: Get the weather forecast from reliable sources like BOM, Deckee, Seabreeze or Willy Weather and always be prepared to change your plans if the weather conditions change.

[Visual: Mundy speaking to camera, cutting to a view of the boatshed on the Swan River and then to the boat ramp.]

Mundy: Ask ‘weather or not?’ and set yourself up for a great day on the water.

[Visual: Government of Western Australia logo and the Check weather or not you should be on the water badge.]

End of transcript

Waves (Seas and swell)

No matter the size of the waves, they can be dangerous if they catch you off guard.

3 – 4 times a day a wave will be twice the size of the forecasted height (about one in every 2000–3000 waves). It’s important you know the expected wave heights and be prepared for double the size.

If the seas and swell forecast is  2m you can get a 4m wave, can your vessel manage with a wave twice the forecasted height? 

Use the handy reference guide to compare your boat size against the wave forecast.
Safe boating conditions vary by vessel size. For 3‑metre boats, exercise caution in 1m seas and swell, with conditions unsafe at 2m and above. For 5‑metre boats, caution is advised at 2m, with conditions unsafe at 3m and above. For 10‑metre boats, caution applies at 3m, with conditions unsafe at 4m and above.

Transcript

[Text on screen: Seas and swells. Check weather or not you should be out on the water. Transport WA.]

[Music]

[Narration is by Safe boating ambassador David Mundy.]

[Visual: Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure logo. Mundy at a boat ramp.]

Mundy: Boating offers an incredible adventure, but your comfort and safety rely on the weather.

[Visual: a fishing boat moving across the river.]

Mundy: Before you head out, always ask yourself ‘weather or not?’.

[Text on screen: Weather or not. Seas and swell.]

[Visual: Mundy wearing an inflatable lifejacket speaking to camera].

Mundy: Seas and swell are important parts of the weather mix.

[Visual: The wake behind a boat in the river.]

Mundy: When heading out you need to check and understand the different types of waves.

[Visual: Aerial shot of waves on a beach, followed by Mundy speaking to camera]

Mundy: Swell occurs without wind created by distant weather systems and holds substantial power.

[Visual: Graphic showing seas: wind direction; and swell: wave height, wavelength and mean sea level. Cut to Mundy speaking to camera.]

Mundy: Boating in large swells can be extremely dangerous due to the sheer power of the water.

[Visual: The wake behind a boat in the river, followed by waves in the ocean.]

Mundy: Alongside its power, swell can come from multiple directions, which can be problematic for boats.

[Visual: Mundy speaking to camera cutting to a view of breakwater at Woodman Point and back to Mundy.]

Mundy: Seas are generated by the wind currently blowing, the wind you can feel and a short and choppy.

[Visual: Choppy seas cutting to Mundy speaking to camera.]

Munday: Sea waves are dangerous obstacles that can swamp or roll your boat.

[Visual: Boats in the waves and whitecaps on the ocean, cutting to Mundy speaking to camera.]

Munday: Whitecaps on the water are generally a good indication that conditions will be challenging. Consider the combined seas and swell height with the size of your vessel to determine if it’s safe.

[Visual: A chart showing boat sizes compared to seas and swell.

Boat size

Safe seas and swell height

Caution seas and swell height

Don’t go seas and swell height

3 metres

0.5 metres

1 metres

Greater than 2 metres

6 metres

1 metres

2 metres

Greater than 3 metres

10 metres

2 metres

3 metres

Greater than 4 metres

Cut to a boat on the river.]

Mundy: To avoid capsizing, make sure you have enough anchor line out.

[Visual: Mundy speaking to camera.]

Mundy: The general rule is 5:1.

[Visual: Graphic showing wind direction, Scope 5:1, distance from bow roller and bitter end to anchor. Anchor chain at least 3 metres. The length of the anchor line is dependent on the depth of the water and prevailing conditions.]

Mundy: The line you have let out needs to be five times the depth you are anchored in.

[Visual: A windsock cutting to a weather map showing wave height and direction.]

Mundy: Winds and waves can increase rapidly, always prepare for waves up to two times larger than the forecast.

[Visual: Mundy speaking to camera cutting to a mobile phone showing the weather apps.]

Mundy: Get the weather forecast from reliable sources like BOM, Deckee, Seabreeze or Willy Weather and always be prepared to change your plans if the weather conditions change.

[Visual: Mundy speaking to camera, cutting to a view of the boatshed on the Swan River and then to the boat ramp.]

Mundy: So next time you’re planning a day on the water ask yourself ‘weather or not?’

[Visual: A fishing boat out on a flat ocean, cutting back to Mundy at the boat ramp.]

Mundy: Check the seas and swell, understand the conditions and be prepared to change your plans if needed.

[Visual: Government of Western Australia logo and the Check weather or not you should be on the water badge.]

End of transcript

 

 

 

Wind

Wind can change over the course of your trip so it’s important you’re familiar with the forecasts before your leave shore. Weather forecasts include wind speed and direction and will help you determine if your vessel should be on the water, especially since wind gusts can be up to 40% stronger than the forecast wind speed.

Wind speed (measured in knots) is your main guideline for whether your vessel size should be out in unprotected waters. A wind forecast of 15 knots can experience gusts of 20 knots, Wind speed at 20 knots can gust to 28 knots which is called strong wind and will often result in a strong wind warning issued by BOM.

Winds generate waves, and the direction of those waves will also determine your safest passage to and from shore. 

Water levels (tides)

Changing tides can create dangerous conditions as it affects waves, currents, and water levels.

Knowing when high and low tide will occur is important for boats crossing river entrances, sandbars and reefs.

An outgoing tide, or low tide, can cause waves to become steeper. Your boat could become difficult to handle, tip over, or be swept onto rocks or reefs.

The changing tide over the day can cover rock platforms or reefs at high tide, whilst exposing them and creating a hazard at low tide. 

Key things to know about tides:

  • Water levels rise quickest around mid-tide.
  • Rising tide brings surging waves.
  • Tide times change from each day and in different locations.
  • The weather can change the predicted tide levels.
  • When the tide and wind direction are in opposite directions, waves can become steeper and closer together.

Watch

The weather can change quickly so watch and listen for signs such as:

  • sudden increase in wind speed or change in wind direction
  • thunder, lightning or increasing cloud cover on the horizon
  • waves and swells increasing in size or the water gets choppy.

If conditions start to change, dangerous weather may be approaching. Decide if you need to take precautions or head back to shore.

Download the Deckee app and use the Boating forecast feature. It will tell you when the conditions are getting dangerous for your location.

Deckee

Download the Deckee app and use the Boating forecast feature. It will tell you when the conditions are getting dangerous for your location.

More information

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