2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Technology dramatically aids weather forecasters

Gabrielle Woodhouse from the Bureau of Meteorology - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race © RSHYR | Ashley Dart

Massive changes in technology over the last 20 years have dramatically aided weather forecasters, as they prepare the crews for the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race on Boxing Day.

"Changes in technology, especially the computing power, has made a huge difference in how we forecast," said Gabrielle Woodhouse, Senior Meteorologist for the NSW Bureau of Meteorology.

"It has allowed things like trying to obviously resolve thunderstorm inspection, various models and having much higher resolution models," Woodhouse said ahead of the briefing of navigators at Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, organiser of the 628 nautical mile race.

"Satellite imagery, using all types of sensors, provides details of different levels of the atmosphere," Woodhouse said.

"There's a number of different visible, infrared, different wavelengths we use.

"That's been a huge change.

"Ten years ago, you would get one satellite image an hour, and that would take an hour to download.

Woodhouse said the access time had dramatically improved, and the increase in satellite channels allowed more and varied information to be examined.

"That really helps us out as well in trying to figure out what's going on... and what's likely to happen."

Woodhouse said the Bureau will continue to narrow down the forecast scenarios and provide information for crews ahead of the race start, while meteorologists in Tasmania will deliver daily briefings for crews until the last yacht arrives in Hobart.