Sal Weather Briefing

Concept-driven operational weather view for Sal, Cape Verde — combining observations, briefing essentials, Tropical Atlantic context, numerical guidance, official Cape Verde services, and local interpretation for Harrys’ Point.

Tropical Atlantic GVAC + local spot view Harrys’ Point focus INMG Marine bulletins
Quick nav: Live Daily Synoptic History Bulletins Local Model Dust Visual

1. Live observations

METAR and TAF via local PHP wrappers for Sal and Boa Vista.

Source: Aviation Weather Center (NOAA) METAR/TAF data via local PHP wrappers.

GVAC
Amílcar Cabral / Sal
METAR GVAC 302100Z 01011KT 9999 SCT014 SCT100 27/22 Q1013 NOSIG

TAF GVAC 301700Z 3018/3124 05012KT 9999 SCT014
GVBA
Aristides Pereira / Boa Vista
METAR GVBA 301900Z 04013KT 9999 SCT014 28/23 Q1013 NOSIG

TAF GVBA 301700Z 3018/3118 05011KT 9999 SCT014

Reference station (mid-latitude comparison): 

EDDF:METAR EDDF 302150Z AUTO 16001KT CAVOK 19/12 Q1013 NOSIG

TAF AMD EDDF 302101Z 3021/3124 20003KT CAVOK 
  TEMPO 3022/3102 3000 SHRA BKN030CB 
  BECMG 3100/3103 20008KT 
  TEMPO 3102/3107 BKN015 
  BECMG 3106/3109 24015G25KT 
  TEMPO 3113/3118 SHRA BKN030CB 
  PROB30 
  TEMPO 3113/3117 25020G35KT TSRA 
  BECMG 3116/3119 23010KT 
  BECMG 3121/3124 21005KT

2. Daily context · Sal

Local time reference, sun, UV and tide in one compact block.

Source: PHP sun calculations, Open-Meteo UV API, Wisuki tide page.

Location Sunrise Transit Sunset
Sal (SID) 06:18 12:32 18:45
Frankfurt (FRA) 06:39 13:26 20:12
UV now 0 · Low
UV max today 9.1 · Very high
Open Santa Maria tide

3. Synoptic situation · Tropical Atlantic

Surface analysis for the wider Atlantic background: Azores High, ITCZ, monsoon trough, tropical waves, trade-wind gradient and pressure systems. A satellite view for Western Africa is linked below as an additional real-time observation.

Source: NOAA / NHC / TAFB surface analysis, EUMETSAT Meteosat imagery, CPC NAO index, WMO METAREA II, NOAA marine products.

NOAA Tropical Surface Analysis
Open NOAA surface chart Satellite (EUMETView) Pressure Gradient Tool Open NAO index Open METAREA II More NOAA marine products

4. GVAC wind history · last 24h

METAR-derived wind speed and direction for a backward look.

Source: Aviation Weather METAR history for GVAC.

5. Cape Verde weather service and bulletins

Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia e Geofísica (INMG) provides the official Cabo Verde forecast context. Marine bulletins are issued for the full archipelago as well as for specific regions.

For Sal, the most relevant reference is the Barlavento Oriental bulletin (Sal / Boa Vista), complemented by the general archipelago bulletin for broader context.

Source: INMG official marine weather bulletins.

Barlavento Occidental: western windward sector.
Barlavento Oriental: eastern windward sector, including Sal and Boa Vista.
Sotavento: southern / leeward sector.
Typical bulletin content: wind direction, Beaufort range, wave height and short regional outlook.
Use on this page: official regional reality check against the model view for Sal.
Latest available bulletins: hosted locally for stability and direct access.
Open Barlavento Oriental bulletin (Sal / Boa Vista) Open full archipelago bulletin

Bulletins hosted locally for stability. Forecast source attributed to Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia e Geofísica (INMG). Special thanks to INMG for providing the marine weather bulletins.

6. Local wind interpretation · Harrys’ Point · N16°35.4′ W022°53.4′

This section is about local reading, not about model output. Airport observations are useful, but Harrys’ Point must be interpreted with coastal acceleration, cape effects, shoreline geometry and local exposure in mind.

Source: local interpretation based on GVAC, OpenSeaMap, Windy, Windguru and PredictWind.

coastal acceleration cape effect local thermal influence airport ≠ spot
Reference point: Harrys’ Point is named after the famous and well-known singer-songwriter Harry Kaey.
Operational reading: Compare airport truth, synoptic setup and model background before judging the beach.
Map anchor: Use the local map position to keep the exposure and coastline geometry in mind.
Local convection: Small-scale thermal activity (e.g. dust devils) confirms local heating effects, but rarely alters the trade wind regime.

OpenSeaMap marker: Harrys’ Point is linked with an explicit map marker and centered map view.

Marine format: N16°35.4′ · W022°53.4′
Decimal: 16.590556, -22.889722

OpenSeaMap · Harrys’ Point marker Open Windy · Harrys’ Point Open Windy · Matts’ Point Open Windguru Open PredictWind

7. Numerical model guidance

Source: local JSON forecast package generated on the VPS from ECMWF IFS / ECWAM context. Model comparison (GFS, ICON Global) is planned for future integration.

Model comparison mindset

Use ECMWF as primary reference; wave context is provided by ECWAM. GFS and ICON Global will be added for structured comparison. Differences matter more than slogans.

ECMWF IFS GFS (planned) ICON Global (planned) ECWAM

ECMWF / local point forecast

Primary local model guidance for Harrys’ Point and Matts’ Point. Harrys’ Point is derived through bilinear interpolation from the surrounding model grid, while Matts’ Point currently uses a sea-side coastal override.

Current local data package: Run 2026083000 · updated 30 Aug 07:30 (Cape Verde time)

Harrys' Point

Full forecast 0–72h · ECMWF IFS HRES · Run 2026083000 · generated 30 Aug 07:39 (Cape Verde time)

Selection method: bilinear interpolation

StepLocal time10 m windGustWavePeriodCloud
0h29 Aug 21:0012.8 kt NNE01.3 m NNE7.9 s17%
3h30 Aug 00:0012.8 kt NNE17.41.3 m NNE8 s82%
6h30 Aug 03:0013.5 kt NE17.61.3 m NNE8.1 s72%
9h30 Aug 06:0011.1 kt NE15.81.3 m NNE8.2 s54%
12h30 Aug 09:009.1 kt NE13.71.3 m NNE8.5 s51%
15h30 Aug 12:0010.2 kt NNE14.41.3 m NNE8.7 s75%
18h30 Aug 15:0011.8 kt NNE16.21.3 m NNE8.5 s24%
21h30 Aug 18:0012.4 kt NNE16.91.3 m N8.5 s16%
24h30 Aug 21:0010.1 kt NNE14.51.3 m N8.7 s68%
27h31 Aug 00:009.7 kt NNE13.61.3 m N8.8 s48%
30h31 Aug 03:007.4 kt NE111.3 m N8.9 s48%
33h31 Aug 06:006.5 kt ENE9.21.3 m N9 s93%
36h31 Aug 09:007.3 kt E10.51.2 m N8.9 s20%
39h31 Aug 12:006.9 kt ENE10.31.2 m N8.8 s18%
42h31 Aug 15:007.7 kt NE11.91.2 m N8.7 s17%
45h31 Aug 18:009.5 kt NE12.81.1 m N8.4 s4%
48h31 Aug 21:0010.8 kt NE14.31.1 m NNE8.2 s17%
51h01 Sep 00:008.8 kt NNE12.91.1 m NNE8.1 s15%
54h01 Sep 03:009 kt NNE121 m NNE8.1 s9%
57h01 Sep 06:0010.2 kt NNE13.91 m NNE8 s12%
60h01 Sep 09:0010.1 kt NNE14.31 m N7.8 s3%
63h01 Sep 12:0010.7 kt N14.91 m N7.5 s0%
66h01 Sep 15:0013.2 kt N17.41 m N7 s0%
69h01 Sep 18:0014.9 kt N19.61.1 m N6.4 s13%
72h01 Sep 21:0015 kt N20.41.2 m N6.2 s20%

Matts' Point

Full forecast 0–72h · ECMWF IFS HRES · Run 2026083000 · generated 30 Aug 07:39 (Cape Verde time)

Selection method: nearest

StepLocal time10 m windGustWavePeriodCloud
0h29 Aug 21:0013.3 kt NNE01.8 m NNE7.5 s12%
3h30 Aug 00:0013.5 kt NNE18.31.8 m NNE7.5 s79%
6h30 Aug 03:0015 kt NE19.41.8 m NNE7.5 s40%
9h30 Aug 06:0011.7 kt NE16.21.7 m NNE7.6 s57%
12h30 Aug 09:009.4 kt NNE13.71.7 m NNE7.8 s46%
15h30 Aug 12:0010.8 kt NNE14.41.7 m NNE8 s83%
18h30 Aug 15:0012.4 kt NNE16.11.7 m NNE8.1 s21%
21h30 Aug 18:0012.8 kt NNE16.91.7 m NNE8.1 s5%
24h30 Aug 21:0010.4 kt NNE14.81.7 m NNE8.2 s84%
27h31 Aug 00:0010 kt NNE14.21.7 m NNE8.2 s41%
30h31 Aug 03:008 kt NE11.51.7 m NNE8.2 s22%
33h31 Aug 06:006.5 kt ENE91.6 m NNE8.2 s95%
36h31 Aug 09:006.6 kt ENE9.21.6 m NNE8.2 s20%
39h31 Aug 12:006.8 kt NE9.71.6 m NNE8.1 s10%
42h31 Aug 15:009.2 kt NNE12.41.5 m NNE8 s9%
45h31 Aug 18:009.6 kt NE12.61.5 m NNE7.8 s7%
48h31 Aug 21:0012 kt NNE15.51.4 m NNE7.6 s18%
51h01 Sep 00:009.5 kt NNE13.11.4 m NNE7.5 s18%
54h01 Sep 03:009.8 kt NNE12.91.3 m NNE7.5 s12%
57h01 Sep 06:0011 kt NNE14.41.3 m NNE7.4 s15%
60h01 Sep 09:0010.7 kt NNE15.11.3 m NNE7.2 s7%
63h01 Sep 12:0011.5 kt N15.21.3 m NNE7 s0%
66h01 Sep 15:0013 kt N16.71.3 m NNE6.9 s2%
69h01 Sep 18:0015.8 kt N20.51.4 m NNE6.5 s14%
72h01 Sep 21:0015.9 kt N21.61.5 m NNE6.3 s16%

8. Saharan dust

Dust matters for visibility, air quality and for the overall character of the day, even when the wind itself looks straightforward.

Source: ECMWF CAMS aerosol products and AEMET dust products.

Operational effect: reduced visibility and a different visual feel to the atmosphere.
Interpretation effect: useful context when the day feels flatter, dirtier or less clear than the wind charts alone suggest.
Workflow: check dust context deliberately alongside the synoptic and model view.
Open CAMS dust forecast Open AEMET dust products

9. Visual observations · Sal

Visual observations provide real-time confirmation of local conditions as well as examples of typical small-scale phenomena on Sal.

Live webcam: real-time view of local wind and sea state conditions.
Open webcam (Radio Sal One)
Local observation: Dust devil · own observation · N16°37′ W022°54′ · 23 March 2026 1724 UTC.
sal.mbaier.com · concept-driven weather briefing for Sal · A Project by MB Aviation