GSL & Antelope Island Slip Renters and Marina Users.

Just an update on the wind forecast for Saturday and Sunday.  The National Weather Service has just issued a HIGH WIND WATCH.  This is normal and is usually issued 48 hours before strong winds are forecasted.  By tomorrow the NWS will change that to a HIGH WIND ADVISORY followed by a HIGH WIND WARNING issued sometime late tomorrow night.  It’s just the way the NWS works.

There are two forecast models that are in a bit of a disagreement with each other.  Both show very strong winds for Saturday AND Sunday.  It is the exact direction that they are in disagreement with.  One model shows winds dead from the south.  The other shows winds from the southwest.  And what does this mean?  Why is the direction so important?   If the wind is dead from the south and is over 25mph Great Salt Lake Marina is likely to see winds 0 gusting to over 30mph with Tooele Twisters  gusting well over 40mph.  If the wind is out of the southwest and is over 25mph  Great Salt Lake Marina will likely see steady winds over 25mph (much less destructive than due south).

The good news is that both models have backed off their top gusts somewhat.  So here is what the forecast models are showing at this time.  Saturday morning, sometime around 9 or 10am we will start to see winds starting to gust over 30mph.  The winds will build as will gusts nearing or exceeding 50mph by 1pm.  By 5pm these gusts may start hitting over 60mph.  Gusts could get somewhat stronger after the sun goes down.  All of this wind peaks in the early morning hours as the front finally passes over the lake.  Winds will then switch to the west at 30 to 40mph steady as it clocks to the northwest.  Winds will stay strong on the lake all day Sunday and Sunday night 20 to 50mph before diminishing Monday morning.

So if the winds are from the south, we could see Tooele Twisters with gusts over 80mph.  If the winds are from the southwest we will see winds steady in the 40 to 50mph range.  A much preferred choice.

There will be a large negative storm surge on Saturday and then very large waves on the lake Saturday.  The waves on the beach near GSL marina should be quite impressive Sunday.

Dave Shearer

Harbor Master

Great Salt Lake State Marina

Antelope Island State Marina

801-209-9142