Local funding & volunteers facilitate new, on-the-water EMSMET weather station in Chichester Harbour

Local funding & volunteers facilitate new, on-the-water EMSMET weather station in Chichester Harbour © EMSMET

Emsworth Sailing Club has facilitated the raising of local funds and volunteers to scope, fund and deploy a new, multi-sensor weather station called EMSMET, located at the Emsworth end of Chichester Harbour, which will provide vital information for all local water sports users and many others.

The new weather station will be invaluable for all forms of local water sports users in giving both real-time and historic, localised wind speed and direction, air and sea temperature as well important tidal surge data.

EMSMET Homepage - photo © EMSMET

EMSMET, located at Sweare Deep, halfway down the Emsworth channel in Chichester Harbour, is linked to the current SSG (Solent Support Group) weather stations, two of which also exist in Chichester Harbour: Cambermet and Chimet. Localised weather conditions can vary substantially throughout the harbour and until now there has been no accurate information for the top end of the harbour at Emsworth. Localised weather information is essential for sailing, rowing and other water sports clubs, boat users and visiting yachtsmen, swimmers, and other on-the-water participants in order to assess safe boating conditions as well as for event risk assessments, setting race courses, and as general good practice for all water sports users.

In the absence of accurate local weather data, Emsworth Sailing Club's Sailing Committee tasked one of the volunteer members to run a feasibility study on the technical equipment required, likely budget, possible site location and funding options for a local weather station. Working closely with Chichester Harbour Conservancy, who install and maintain the other weather stations within the harbour, the project quickly came to fruition.

All the money for the technical sensors and data collection equipment was raised enthusiastically and generously from the following local organisations:

• Emsworth Sailing Club
• Emsworth Slipper Sailing Club
• Langstone Sailing Club
• Emsworth Yacht Harbour
• Chichester Harbour Federation
• Friends of Chichester Harbour
• Jo Cox, Chichester Harbour Master (through the donation of her speaking fee at an ESC event)

EMSMET, as well as the other Solent Support Group weather sites, provides wind speed, direction and gusts, air and sea temperatures as well as tidal height and surge information, for free and in real-time. The highly robust, state-of-the-art technical equipment is also used for Arctic surveying and was installed on the southerly cardinal marker in the Emsworth Channel by the Chichester Harbour Conservancy team. A number of local organisations including Emsworth Sailing Club and Emsworth Yacht Harbour are already displaying the live data on screens for the benefit of their members/berth holders.

As well as being of great value to all water sports users, the tidal surge information will also be of vital interest to householders in Emsworth in areas of tidal surge flood risk and the Environment Agency will also have direct access to this data.

Simon Langford, Sailing Secretary at Emsworth Sailing Club commented, "There has long been a need for accurate weather reports at the north end of the harbour, used extensively by three sailing clubs, two marinas, rowers, windsurfers, wing foilers, swimmers and yachts. Emsworth Sailing Club started the project, but the support, enthusiasm and donations from various organisations made the weather station a reality. Those using the harbour around Emsworth and Northney, whether locals or visitors, now have real-time weather and water reports that will help with decisions around the enjoyment and safety of their boating experiences "

The five weather stations, including EMSMET, which are run by the volunteers of the Solent Support Group, rely on charitable donations for all their maintenance, software and upgrading costs. This vital service welcomes any donations to assist it in continuing to provide this essential service for water sports user. Please donate generously at localgiving.org/charity/solentmet.