Falklands weather enables a long-range action

Three hours have passed since the German squadron was first sighted, making the weather an operational advantage for Sturdee. Fog or mist could have reduced the warning to less than half an hour and allowed Spee to disappear. Instead, blue sky, a light breeze, and an almost unruffled sea provide exceptional visibility and ideal conditions for long-range action. Survivors on both sides later remembered the clarity of the atmosphere as extraordinary. The weather determines whether the British squadron can bring its superior ships to action at all.