Overview
All sessions will be recorded and available to registered attendees until July 17, 2026.
Using weather to your advantage is a key element in doing well in a long-distance race such as the Bayview Mack or Chicago Mac. Developing a competitive strategy requires an understanding of basic weather forecasting principles, the ability to interpret surface weather maps, manage thunderstorms, and a working knowledge of modern routing software.
This three-part webinar series is designed for sailors who are new to long-distance racing or experienced competitors who are interested in refreshing their skills before racing season.
Topics include:
- Interpreting surface weather maps
- Identifying the primary forecasting challenge for a race
- The basics of weather forecast models
- The forces governing the wind
- Forecasting thunderstorms
- Understanding thunderstorm behavior
- Using Doppler Weather Radar to monitor thunderstorms
- Downloading gridded weather data
- Weather Routing essentials
Click here to download the flyer for this series.
Please send questions regarding the webinar to Mark Thornton at Mark@LakeErieWX.com. Please click here to view the speaker's resume.
About The Presenter
Mark Thornton sailed for more than 30 years and currently owns Osprey, a Mainship 34 Pilot. His interest in weather forecasting grew from his experiences cruising and racing on the Great Lakes. Mark is a 2006 graduate of the Penn State University Certificate of Achievement in Weather Forecasting, a two-year program that develops skills in general, tropical, and severe weather forecasting.
He is the president of LakeErieWX LLC, a company dedicated to providing marine weather education and forecasting resources for recreational boaters (www.lakeeriewx.com). Mark publishes a marine weather blog and teaches basic forecasting seminars to recreational boaters during the off-season. He has served as the Race Meteorologist for the Bayview Mackinac Race since 2014. Mark is also on the faculty of Annapolis Boat Shows-Cruiser University.
