Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Weather; Human Factors
We were deviating left of course and given direct FQF when able. When we were about to go to FQF we saw another cell with another behind it but clear to the south so we were told right deviations no more than 10 degrees. So we took the current track and added 10 degrees giving us a heading of 066 deg. ATC said we were more than 10 degrees to the right and told us to hold back 5 degrees left. He told us that the 10 degrees right was from the track to OBH that we had never gotten. He told us that direct OBH currently was 056 degrees but he limited us to 061 deg.I feel like there was some confusion as to what the 10 degrees deviation was from and he wasn't being helpful or clear with his instructions.
Reporter stated that Controller's last instructions did not make sense; since at the time; the course to FQF was essentially the same as the course to OBH; and 10 degrees to the right of either would have produced the same track. Reporter further stated that the combination of the differing opinions as to where the aircraft was cleared after deviating; and having an ambiguous reference from which to base a 10 degree deviation to the right contributed to a communication problem between crew and Controller. Reporter also stated that the Controller was very busy during these transactions.
EMB-175 Captain reported confusion with ambiguous weather deviation vectors from ATC.