There’s an interesting new app from PredictWind called PredictCurrent. So far it’s only available on Apple devices (but not my elderly iPad). They offer a free 2-week trial.
It gives a clear map-based graphical indication of forecast sea currents, hour by hour. This is particularly useful for planning sailing in light winds or to motor with an electric outboard, which struggles against strong currents. I’ll be trying it out shortly in the Outer Hebrides, where the tidal currents between the islands can be strong.
The app is not perfect as, so far at least, it doesn’t cover narrow passages like the Menai Strait and the Swale, where information on currents is crucial.
It also gives wind speed and wave height forecasts and an indication of sea temperature. Anything below 14°C is shown as a uniform purple colour on the map, which means that at the moment the whole sea area from the UK to the Arctic is the same colour.
