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Bridge bunting
Bridge bunting Picture by Peter Frankland
Today
High
16°
Low
7°
5%
F2
Tomorrow
High
17°
Low
9°
0%
F3
Fri, 25 Apr
High
16°
Low
9°
0%
F3
Sat, 26 Apr
High
15°
Low
9°
65%
F2
Sun, 27 Apr
High
15°
Low
9°
0%
F2
Mon, 28 Apr
High
19°
Low
11°
0%
F3
Tue, 29 Apr
High
21°
Low
11°
0%
F3
Morning, Today
High
16°
Sunny periods.
5%
6
UV
F2
Northeast or variable light F1 to 2.
Sunrise 05:03
Afternoon
High
16°
Long sunny periods.
5%
6
UV
F2
North to northeast light F2.
Sunset 19:15
Night
Low
7°
Mostly clear but becoming cloudier towards dawn.
5%
F3
North to northeast light F2, veering east to southeast light F3 to moderate F4.
Waning Crescent

Shipping Forecast

General Situation
At 18:00UTC Azores high, 1026mb, expected to extend a ridge across the area.

12.4°C
Sea Temperature

Forecast from 00:00UTC Thursday to 00:00UTC Friday.
Wind
Northwest 3 to 4, veering northeasterly 1 to 3 by dawn, then east 3 to 4 later.
Sea State
Smooth or slight with a low swell.
Weather
Risk of isolated showers from midday, mainly near the French coast.
Visibility
Good, perhaps locally moderate from midday.
Outlook from 00:00UTC Friday to 00:00UTC Saturday.
Wind
East to southeast 3 to 4, perhaps 5 mid-Channel for a time, locally variable 1 to 3 in the southeast of the area by midday.
Sea State
Smooth or slight, with a low swell, perhaps moderate mid-Channel for a time.
Weather
Risk of rain in the far west of the area by Friday night.
Visibility
Good, perhaps locally moderate.

Understanding the Forecast

The wind speed is given in the Beaufort Scale on an 8 point compass with a variability of +-45°. Terms commonly used in association with the wind and other parts of the forecast include:

Veering - a change of wind in the clockwise sense (up to 180°)
Backing – a change of wind in the anticlockwise sense (up to 180°)
At first – within the first 12 hours
Later – within the latter 12 hours
Occasional/occasionally – lasts less than half the time (location or time specific)
At times – non-persistent (lasts more than half the forecast period)
For a time – a transient state

Waves or sea state is the forecast of the mean of the largest 7% of combined wind and swell waves. Wind waves are locally produced waves; swell waves are produced by distant strong winds. Sea state descriptions equate to the following wave heights:

Description

Height

Smooth

< 0.5m

Slight

0.5 - 1.25m

Moderate

1.25 - 2.5m

Rough

2.5 - 4.0m

Very Rough

4.0 - 6.0m

High

6.0 - 9.0m

Very High

9.0 - 14.0m

Phenomenal

> 14m

Visibility measurements equate to the following distances in nautical miles and kilometers:

Description

Distance N.Mi

Distance Km

Good

> 5 n.mi

> 10 km

Moderate

2 - 5 n.mi

3.7 - 9 km

Poor

0.6 - 2 n.mi

1.0 - 3.7 km

Very Poor

< 0.6 n.mi

< 1000 m

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