Geronimo’s attempt to break the Jules Verne Challenge is currently being dogged by unusually light airs south of the Cape Verde Island.

A depression originating in the Gulf of Mexico has moved much further south and east than is normal (even as far as the area between 10 and 20°N) and has been sitting over a huge area between the West Indies and Cape Verde, silencing the normal trade winds.

These Atlantic depressions do not usually travel further south than 20°N, so the computer models used when planning Geronimo’s voyage could not have taken account of such slack winds and air flows in this area.

It is not just the trade winds that have been affected by this weather system, but also the entire Atlantic north of the tropics. However, the news from the boat this morning indicates that the depression is finally moving away and being replaced by the more usual high-pressure systems. This will mean that, with the midday sun heating the sea surface to unusually high temperatures, and in the absence of any cooling wind, the next few days could see some violent storms developing.

We will keep you posted.