Separate Sardinian coasts and the Bonifacio area instead of using one island-centre forecast.
Forecast sectors and coverage
Choose the relevant Sardinian sea area in Meteomar; inspect French marine/BMS products for a Corsica–Sardinia leg. Verify current coverage rather than assuming that the island name identifies one forecast sector.
Weather-sensitive legs
For the north-coast and Bonifacio area, inspect the strait/cape exposure separately from sheltered bays. For a coastal circuit, check the lee-to-windward transition and destination access to swell.
Observations, sea state and reassessment
Compare the sea bulletin and a wave layer valid at the approach time. A calm marina observation does not establish conditions in the Strait of Bonifacio; use the latest relevant product before committing to it.
Worked planning scenario — not a live forecast
For a north-Sardinia hop, compare the exposed leg and destination rather than the island’s average wind. If a later shift removes shelter, assess a shorter itinerary without inventing a universal limit for the strait.
Official products by task
- Aeronautica Militare: Meteomar entry point — Service portal: open MARE E MONTAGNA / Meteomar and the gale bulletin; this URL is not itself the bulletin.
- Météo-France marine / BMS — Côte / large products and special marine bulletins have different coverage.
Sector names help you locate the issuing product; they are not an automatic route-coverage match. Open the current issue and check boundaries, issue time and validity. This page does not display current warnings; an unavailable product does not mean no hazard.
Countries & territories
- Italy
Compare Sardinia, Sicily, Naples and the wider Adriatic/Tyrrhenian context.
- France
Keep Atlantic tidal coasts separate from Mediterranean island and gulf planning.
Map orientation
The approximate map centre is not an approach waypoint, track, depth survey or forecast-zone boundary. The third-party map loads only on request.
Build your passage brief
Bring your route, leg timings, vessel and crew profile, checked sources and reassessment triggers into the brief. Personal AI analysis and expert review are available to invited closed-test participants; a port page does not extend the calculation service’s coverage.
A Sailing Weather editorial guide to local conditions, practical passage preparation and marine-weather sources. Source and structure review: 27 September 2026. For a specific passage, check current issues, validity and forecast coverage. The skipper retains the final decision and responsibility.
Plan an island circuit as separate coasts
A north-coast charter, a west-coast leg and an east-coast continuation have different approach orientations. Write the exposed cape and arrival coast for each proposed stop; a forecast for the island centre obscures that difference. Choose the relevant Meteomar sea area from the current product and read the gale warning separately. For a Corsica connection, add Météo-France rather than assuming Italian coverage alone describes both approaches.
- Italian Air Force Meteomar entry point — Marine map and text menu, not a current bulletin in this article Direct product verification is limited; obtain the current issue from the issuer.
- Italian gale-warning documentation — How Avviso di Burrasca is defined; named sea areas Direct product verification is limited; obtain the current issue from the issuer.
- Météo-France marine — Coastal sectors, offshore products and special marine bulletins
Bonifacio requires two kinds of evidence
Weather comparisons concern the predicted wind, swell and passage time. Charts and current local navigation information concern the actual track, restrictions and obstacles. Do not translate a smooth regional ocean-current layer into a precise strait transit time. Shom describes its oceanogram outputs as raw numerical simulations; a display is not proof that a forecaster or local pilot has validated the passage.
- Shom oceanogram documentation — Raw numerical outputs are not forecaster-certified; not chart replacement Direct product verification is limited; obtain the current issue from the issuer.
A north-island delay scenario
If a delayed departure places the exposed segment after a forecast turn, recalculate the arrival-side sea instead of selecting the next lighter-wind icon. Compare the original crossing with an independently checked local stop or remaining at the present harbour. Save both national product issues if the plan involves Corsica. This is a decision-preparation scenario, not a supplied route or a guarantee that the alternate harbour is accessible.
Editorial review of this material: 27 September 2026. This date concerns the page content; check current forecast issue times and validity at the original sources.