Between 0900 and 1100 this morning, the Force 2-3 will veer from the northeast into the southeast as convectional breezes wane. Once that swing has taken place, the breeze will become variable and that variability looks certain to give the ACJ Race Committee some course-setting headaches. Expect postponements.

The ridge of high pressure over northern Europe now sits directly over the Channel, extending east as far as Denmark and west to the Azores. Another high pressure system over Sweden is moving slowly east and the combined effect of these two is to parry any incoming lows.

The net result is similar barometric pressure across the country – no relatively high or low pressures – and that means the breeze has nowhere to go, so it wanders. In addition to that, isolated, mini-squalls are very likely and the cloud cover will be heavier than yesterday but should clear a little by mid-afternoon when light sea breezes start to move the air with some consistency.

The rest of the week looks equally bleak, for sailors if not spectators. The best chances of racing will be in the afternoons, but afternoon racing jeopardises the exclusive social calendar of events planned each evening, and that is, of course, quite unthinkable.