Ariel Sailing Club

Weather Forecasts for use at Sea

Quick Guide

Ariel Sailing Club

The Shipping Forecast

BBC Radio 4:

(198 kHz + FM)

0048 (LW, FM)

0520 (LW, FM)

1200 (LW)

1755 (LW)

BBC Radio Solent:

(96.1 MHz)

Every ½ hour 0600 - 1300

IOW Radio:

(107 MHz)

0630 0730 0830 1630 1730 1830 1900

Solent Coastguard: (VHF Ch 16)

0040, 0440, 0840, 1240, 1640, 2040 UTC

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/marine/shipping_forecast.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast/shipping/

http://www.rya.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/8B4C46FA-6FFB-43A9-AB3A-D867D2BD21D2/0/Met_Maps.pdf

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Inshore Waters Forecast

● Forecasts given between 2 places (see map)

● Areas can be combined e.g. Gibraltar Point to Lyme Regis

● Up to 12 miles offshore.

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Content● Gale Warning● General Synopsis● Area Forecasts

– Wind speed and direction– Sea state– Visibility– Weather

● Inshore Forecast*– Upto 12 miles offshore

● Coastal Station Reports*

* Not in all broadcasts

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GlossaryTIME

Soon: within 6 hours of forecast

Imminent: 6-12 hours

Later: 12-24 hoursVISIBILITY

Very Poor: less than 1,000m

Poor: 1,000 m to 2 miles

Moderate: 2 to 5 miles

Good: greater than 5 miles

PRESSURE

Rising or Falling Slowly: 0.1 to 1.5 mb in 3 hours

Rising or Falling: 1.6 to 3.5 mb in 3 hours

Rising or Falling Quickly: 3.6 to 6.0 mb in 3 hours

Rising or Faling Very Quickly: more than 6.0 mb in 3 hours

SYSTEM MOVEMENT

Slowly: < 15 knots

Steadily: 15 – 25 knots

Rather Quickly: 25 – 35 knots

Rapidly: 35 – 45 knots

Very Rapidly: 45 knots+

WIND

Veering – wind change clockwise

Backing – wind change anticlockwise

Cyclonic – large change over area e.g. centre of depression

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Admiral Beaufort’s Scale

Force Wind Speeds Description1 1 - 3 Light Airs

2 3 - 6 Light Breeze

3 6 - 10 Gentle Breeze

4 10 – 16 Moderate Breeze

5 16 – 21 Fresh Breeze

6 21 – 27 Strong Breeze

7 27 – 33 Near Gale

8 33 – 40 Gale

9 40 – 47 Strong Gale

10 47 – 55 Storm

11 55 – 63 Violent Storm

12 63 + Hurricane Force

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Captain Douglas R.N.’s ScaleAs used in the Inshore Waters Forecast

Storm Force 10 Sea State Very High

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Other Useful Forecasts

windguru.cz – kitesurfing – good for coastal wind speeds and temperature xcweather.co.uk – aviation site

– windspeeds and weather

bbc.co.uk/weather – do you need the factor 15 or your oilies?