Understand the Shipping Forecast
The shipping forecast is an important source of weather information for everyone using the sea. Because there is a lot of information given in a short time, it can be difficult to make sense of.
Steps
- Prepare. The shipping forecast is read on BBC Radio 4 at 0048, 0520, 1201, and 1754 each day. Be ready with a radio tuned in to the correct frequency (198 kHz) and a pen and paper a few minutes before.
- Remove all distractions: you'll have to concentrate hard for a few minutes to record the information you need.
- Record the information, which is given in the following order:
- Gale Warnings; Any sea area where the wind is forecast to exceed gale force 8 on the Beaufort Scale
- General Synopsis; A description of the location and expected movement of the pressure systems causing the weather patterns being forecast
- Area Forecasts; Wait for the areas which interest you and then start writing. The information is given in this order:
- Viking, North Utsire, South Utsire, Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne, Dogger, Fisher, German Bight, Humber, Thames, Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth, Biscay, Trafalgar, FitzRoy(formerly Finisterre), Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea, Shannon, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faeroes,Southeast Iceland
- The information follows this format:
- Wind direction (where the wind is blowing from), Wind speed (Beaufort Scale), Precipitation (rain, snow, etc), Visibility.
