The saying goes: ‘Come the wind before the rain, soon be setting sail again.’ When a cold front is moving in, if the wind picks up before the rain, the storm is likely to be less severe and shorter. If the rain arrives before the wind, the opposite is true.

More top tips from PBO

Take a look at our Tip of the Day series for more great boat owners’ tips such as reefing early when sailing downwind,  cleaning battery spills and how to decraze a compass bowl