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About Portland Harbour Authority
Internet Connected Anemometer

Portland Harbour Authority

 

The web site is updated every 10 minutes with data from the Portland Harbour Authority's anemometer situated on the breakwater between Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour near the East ship channel entrance. (map) The anemometer is well sited for monitoring the winds at the 2012 Olympic sailing venue.

A WindSonic ultrasonic sensor is used to measure both wind speed and direction. Every second the readings are transmitted over a radio link to the Portland Harbour Office where the data is processed and sent to the web site every 10 minutes. The data is displayed as a table with columns as follows:

Column

Notes
Date Date of readings YYYY/MM/DD
Time Time at the end of an averaging period. Clicking on the column heading will reverse the order of readings in the table. Times are GMT in winter and BST in summer.
Backed The most backed (anticlockwise) wind direction reading during the 10 minute averaging period
Avg Wind Direction The average wind direction during the 10 minute averaging period
Veered The most veered (clockwise) wind direction reading during the 10 minute averaging period
Min Wind Speed The minimum wind speed in knots during the 10 minute averaging period
Avg Wind Speed The average wind speed in knots during the 10 minute averaging period
Max Wind Speed The maximum wind speed in knots during the 10 minute averaging period

The buttons above the data table allow archived data to be seen.

The data is best viewed using Microsoft Internet Explorer V6 and above on a PC. Technical information on the wind system can be obtained from the suppliers Richard Paul Russell Ltd.

Wind Data

Pictures

The Beaufort Wind Scale

Portland Port web site