Vendée Globe

The squalls that are occasionally thundery resulting from the remains of a front are affecting the first half of the fleet, and will continue to disturb the prevailing fifteen-knot easterlies. The wind may well vary from 6 to 22 knots and go from SE to NE in direction.  These squalls are also leading to wind holes, blocking the way for the leaders. Today and tonight will lead to the 14 frontrunners progressing in very different ways according the effect of the squalls. On Friday the wind will stabilise  to become a steady easterly blowing at around ten knots. But this will only be temporary, as the leaders will begin to feel the effect of the St. Helena high, which will gradually reduce the wind strength on Friday.
Those following on behind will not face such a complicated situation, as the residual squalls will disappear as the St. Helena high strengthens.  there is however a thundery low developing off Brazil, which is set to disturb the western edge of the high later on.  This low is still uncertain for the moment and its trajectory difficult to predict.
Sylvain Mondon
Météo-France