TAMPA BAY KITEMASTERS RACE

[ricki]

I just did a check the NWS site at:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tbw/html/tbw/

for the Hazard forecast which follows:

"HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
509 AM EST SUN FEB 26 2006

GMZ830-850-853-870-873-261600-
TAMPA BAY WATERS-TARPON SPRINGS TO SUWANNEE RIVER OUT 20 NM-
ENGLEWOOD TO TARPON SPRINGS OUT 20 NM-
TARPON SPRINGS TO SUWANNEE RIVER OUT 20 TO 60 NM-
ENGLEWOOD TO TARPON SPRINGS OUT 20 TO 60 NM-
509 AM EST SUN FEB 26 2006

...GUSTY NORTH WINDS BEHIND A STRONG COLD FRONT TODAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE GULF WATERS WEST OF
TAMPA BAY THROUGH FORT MYERS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS: A LINE OF SHOWERS AND STRONG STORMS WILL CROSS THE
WATERS SOUTH OF TAMPA BAY BETWEEN 5 AND 8 AM THIS MORNING. SEE
MARINE STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS FOR MORE INFORMATION.

WINDS: WINDS WILL SHIFT TO NORTH AND INCREASE TO 25 KNOTS AND
GUSTY FOR A TIME LATER THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. GALE
FORCE GUSTS WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY ROUGH CONDITIONS AS WELL AS SEAS
UP TO 10 FEET BY AFTERNOON. CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN SOMEWHAT
HAZARDOUS THIS EVENING BUT BEGIN TO IMPROVE OVERNIGHT AS HIGH
PRESSURE QUICKLY BUILDS IN."

Color radar shows the squall line at the leading edge of the front to be passing south of Tampa currently:

http://radblast.wunderground.com/cgi...min=2&delay=30

The regional sat. image:



The ikiitesurf wind record for the Skyway Bridge showed a classic 90 degree frontal wind shift a bit before 9 am with a wind spike to just over 30 mph:
http://www.ikitesurf.com/windandwher...149&siteID=812

Pass-a-grille showed the same thing at about 8 am with close to a 20 mph gust spike:
http://www.ikitesurf.com/windandwher...49&siteID=1428

Checking a bit to the north at Clearwater Beach the wind spiked to around 35 mph+ gusting to 38 mph.
http://www.ikitesurf.com/windandwher...49&siteID=1428

with similar for Dunedin
http://www.ikitesurf.com/windandwher...149&siteID=321

The squalls seem to be passing by current info, keep a weather eye out. The wind is going to be STRONG and gusty. It may change throughout the day.

Proper kite size selection particularly in C kites will take some thought. Be careful upwind of those boats. It would be smart to discuss with the captains where you would like them to be relative to you and the wind. It would not be great to be lofted into one of them. Experience and good judgment are going to count in this one to avoid problems.