Sole (Shipping Forecast Area)
General Nautical Terminology,Weather (Meteorology)
Weather (Meteorology)
Nautical weather terminology is like a secret language designed to keep landlubbers guessing. Why say ‘storm’s brewing’ when you can declare there’s a ‘cyclonic gale on the Beaufort scale’? And don’t even get us started on terms like ‘sea state 5’—is that a weather warning or a new action movie? Mariner-speak turns clouds into ‘cumulonimbus monstrosities’ and drizzle into ‘light spindrift.’ Meanwhile, the rest of us are just trying to figure out if we need a raincoat. Don’t worry, we can help you navigate this foggy jargon without needing a barometer tattooed on your arm!
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Sou’wester
A waterproof hat with a broad brim shaped to protect the face and neck from rain and spray. The rear brim is longer so that water runs clear of the collar, while the front and side brim gives protection without obstructing vision excessively. Traditional versions were made from oiled fabric; modern examples commonly use coated…
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Sea Breeze
A local circulation in which near-surface air flows from water towards warmer land because of differential heating. It commonly develops by day as land heats faster than the adjacent sea, creating pressure differences and a return flow aloft. Onset, direction, depth and strength depend on coastline orientation, terrain, water temperature, cloud, stability and the background…
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General Nautical Terminology | Nautical Topics | Navigation | Safety | Signals & Communication | Weather (Meteorology)
UK Shipping Forecast
The Met Office marine forecast for the named sea areas around the British Isles. It contains gale warnings in force, a general synopsis and forecasts of wind direction and force, weather and visibility for each area; sea state is also included in the operational product. It is issued on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard…
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General Nautical Terminology | Nautical Topics | Navigation | Safety | Signals & Communication | Weather (Meteorology)
Restricted Visibility
Any condition in which visibility is restricted by fog, mist, falling snow, heavy rainstorms, sandstorms or another similar cause. In the collision regulations this is a qualitative condition rather than one fixed distance. Darkness alone is not restricted visibility, although it affects what can be seen, and obstruction by a vessel’s own structure is a…
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Prevailing Wind
The wind direction occurring most frequently at a location during a stated period or season. A prevailing direction is a statistical description derived from observations and is often shown by a wind rose. It may change by season, time of day, weather pattern or height above the surface, and the most frequent direction need not…
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Mist
Suspended microscopic water droplets or ice particles near the surface that reduce visibility but leave it at 1,000 metres or more. Under the meteorological distinction, fog reduces visibility below 1,000 metres while mist is the less dense obscuration above that threshold. Both can form through cooling moist air, evaporation or mixing, and visibility can vary…
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Near Gale
A Beaufort force 7 wind, with a mean speed of 28 to 33 knots. Near gale is the formal descriptive term immediately below gale on the Beaufort scale. At sea, foam begins to stream in the direction of the wind, the surface becomes increasingly covered with white water and wave conditions are difficult for small…
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Offshore
Situated, moving or operating away from the shore or towards the open sea. The term is relative unless a regulation, forecast, industry standard or local publication defines a boundary. It may describe direction, waters, wind, structures or operations, and ‘offshore’ in commercial or safety regulation can have a specialised meaning. Offshore water is not necessarily…
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General Nautical Terminology | Nautical Topics | Navigation | Safety | Sea State & Waves | Weather (Meteorology)
Onshore
Directed or moving from the water towards the land. The term commonly describes wind, current, waves or movement relative to a coast. An onshore wind blows towards land; an onshore current sets towards it, but their directions need not be the same and can vary along an irregular coastline. Onshore conditions can create a lee-shore…
If you belive the Earth is flat, you're about to fall of the end...
If you belive the Earth is flat, you're about to fall of the end...
