TRIP PLANNING SYNOPSIS - UK TIDES & WEATHER CONDITIONS

This page brings together a summary of web resources for Tidal Predictions; Inshore Waters Forecast; Shipping Forecast; various weather forecast sites with good visual displays; Synoptic Charts and a Surf Forecast. An alternative summary from the BBC is also linked as is Weather Online, a comprehensive weather data service.

Each site opens in a new window. Print the results (some sites have a "printer friendly" option) and you have everything you need for your trip. The images are only intended to give an idea of each site - the data shown is a "snapshot" at the time the image was created and does not represent current data.

Other useful resources such as an article on Understanding Forecasts, a Float Plan, Moon Phases, Tidal Planning Matrix, MSI times, VHF Protocols and details of UK Coastguard Operational Areas are also included as are links to Marinecall.

Click these Menu Headings, or scroll the page.


Tides
Click to go to Easytide

 

For Tidal Predictions from UKHO "Admiralty Easytide" - free 7 day tidal predictions for a variety of UK locations with a "pay" option to get past or future predictions. Nice graphs and you can save your favourite locations.

(The pic shows the data for Loch Melfort in Scotland on 16 September 2004 - heading for neaps)

 
Met Office Inshore Waters Forecast
Click to go to the Inshore Waters forecast

 

The Met Office Inshore Waters Forecast gives the current situation and following 24 hours for all UK Inshore Waters.

Click to Listen to the current forecast on BBC Radio 4 - (requires sound and an appropriate player)

The equivalent for Ireland is here.
Met Office Shipping Forecast
Click to go to the Shipping Forecast

 

The Met Office Shipping Forecast gives the current situation and the following 24 hours for Shipping Areas in UK waters. Helpful to gain an overview of what's coming our way.

A summary and explanation of the format and the terms used can be found here - there is also a chart of the Sea Areas mentioned in the forecast.

Click to Listen to the current forecast on BBC Radio 4 - (requires sound and an appropriate player)
Theyr Forecast
Click to go to Theyr's UK Site

 

The Theyr Forecast gives a useful 3 day overview of temperature, rain, windspeed and cloud cover.

Useful summary graphs indicate this information visually and wind direction is given on a clear map. You can select local forecast data for a range of areas and towns.

(The pic shows the data for Scotland / Oban on 16 September 2004 - very wet and windy!)

(As of May 2006 this site requires subscription)

 
XC Weather
Click to go to XC Weather

The XC Weather site provides a useful combination of live and 7 day forecast data, including wind speed, direction, pressure etc from a variety of UK locations.

Hover your mouse over a wind direction arrow on the map, and the data displays on the right hand side of the screen.

To print it (Windows), use Ctrl + P - change your printer settings to print in "landscape" and you'll get the data on the right hand side of the screen as well.
Surf
Click to go to A1 Surf

 

A1 Surf offers a comprehensive Surf Forecast based on information from Wave Bouys around the British Isles.

Helpful for the surfers clearly, and also for sea kayakers needing to have an idea of likely sea conditions.

 
An Alternative Summary from the BBC
Click to go to the BBC Coast & Sea page

 

The BBC Weather Section provides a Coast & Sea Summary covering the Shipping and Inshore Waters Forecasts, Tides, Synoptic Charts and Surf Reports.

 
Weather Online
Click to go to Weather Online

 

Weather Online has lots of weather data, including long-range forecasts, satellite images and historical data.

 
Synoptic Charts

Nice big Synoptic Charts - present, 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours

Animated 0 - 132 hour charts

(The pic shows the situation for the UK on 16 September 2004 - and its easy to see just why the weather was so wet and windy with a nasty low out in the Atlantic)

Click for the present situation

Click the image for the present situation

Click for a 24 hour Synoptic Chart

Click the image for a 24 hr chart

Click for a 48 hour Synoptic Chart

Click the image for a 48 hr chart

Click for a 72 hour Synoptic Chart

Click the image for a 72 hr char
Windfinder

 

Windfinder has lots of weather data, and gives a good 6 day forecast in a easily read visual format.

The link takes you to a UK map - select your location to pull down info like the image on the left.

 
Other Useful Resources

Understanding the Shipping & Inshore Waters Forecasts

XTide - free tides to 2037 for most standard ports.

Float Plan and Tidal Planning Matrix pro-formas from Cailean MacLeod. (.PDF)

Moon Phases - useful for trip planning.

Marine Safety Information (MSI) broadcast schedules - from the UK Coastguard website - Inshore & Area Forecasts on marine VHF. Similar information for Ireland

Marine Safety Information (MSI) - Scotland - Broadcast schedules - Inshore & Area Forecast times on marine VHF - includes map with locations of CG aerial locations in Scotland. (.PDF)

Easy Reference Sheets - Scotland - Western England & Wales - Eastern England - Summary sheets with paddling speed calculators, wind speed chart, CG contact & MSI Broadcast Times, Marine VHF channels - (.PDF)

Marine VHF Channels, including details of Working Channels.

Mayday / Pan pan / phonetic alphabet - summary of protocols and procedures for VHF emergency calls, and the phonetic alphabet.

Coastguard Operating Areas for Search & Rescue. This link takes you to a list of the CG Operating Area. Contact details for the relevant areas. The UKSKGB "Easy Reference Sheets" also have this information.

Marinecall "is the UK's leading provider of telephony-based weather information for coastal, inshore and offshore UK sea areas. We supply all sorts of weather reports to meet every need". Marinecall Mobile allows you to obtain forecasts by "text", WAP or MMS message. MetWeb is a subscription based service, offering detailed online forecasting.

Handy conversion utility from the BBC to convert windspeed to and from knots / mph / kph

(Updated 20-May-2008 )

UkSeaKayakGuidebook.co.uk

~ The UK Rivers Guidebook and UK Sea Kayak Guidebook Websites, the home of UK paddling on the Net ~

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