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Coastal Skipper revision module 13 of 17
Interpreting forecasts, Beaufort scale, synoptic patterns, barometer work, and broadcast meteorology.
13 guided lessons · 23 practice questions · 23 flashcards
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Weather changes the risk of the whole passage. Wind direction can create a lee shore, wind against tide can steepen the sea, rain or fog can raise pilotage workload, and cold, motion or d...
Read the full lesson: Weather and the SailorThe Met Office uses the Beaufort scale in marine forecasts. Force 4 is a moderate breeze of 11–16 knots, Force 6 is a strong breeze of 22–27 knots, Force 7 is a near gale of 28–33 knots a...
Read the full lesson: The Beaufort ScaleThe Shipping Forecast covers 31 sea areas around and approaching the British Isles. Each issue contains gale-warning information, a general synopsis and area forecasts. Start with the pri...
Read the full lesson: Shipping Forecast TerminologyOn a northern-hemisphere surface chart, air circulates broadly clockwise around high pressure and anticlockwise around low pressure. Closely spaced isobars indicate a stronger pressure gr...
Read the full lesson: Pressure SystemsA warm front marks warmer air replacing colder air at the surface. A broad lowering cloud sequence, falling pressure and persistent precipitation are common, but the strength and timing d...
Read the full lesson: FrontsPolar maritime air reaching the UK is commonly cool, moist and unstable, supporting showers and good visibility between them. Tropical maritime air is warm and moist and can bring extensi...
Read the full lesson: Air Masses and Cloud TypesBuys Ballot’s law states that, in the northern hemisphere, a person standing with their back to the wind has lower pressure on the left and higher pressure on the right. It reflects the b...
Read the full lesson: Buys Ballot’s LawUse a calibrated barometer and record pressure at consistent times. The Met Office station-report bands describe a 0.1–1.5 hPa change in three hours as slow, 1.6–3.5 hPa as rising or fall...
Read the full lesson: Barometer Trends and Short-Range PredictionStart with the issue and valid time. Plot pressure centres only where the synopsis provides a position, pressure or named location, and show the stated movement. Add fronts or troughs onl...
Read the full lesson: Sketching a Synoptic ChartA sea breeze can develop when sunny land heats faster than the sea, air rises inland and cooler marine air moves onshore. A land breeze can develop from the reverse night-time temperature...
Read the full lesson: Local Wind EffectsCoastal sea fog is commonly advection fog: relatively warm moist air passes over a cooler sea surface and is cooled to its dew point. Around the UK this can affect windward coasts when th...
Read the full lesson: Sea FogA weatherfax product may be an analysis or forecast chart delivered by radio or downloaded electronically. Check the product name, area, source, issue time and valid time before using it....
Read the full lesson: Weatherfax and Weather Satellite InformationThe Inshore Waters Forecast covers UK coastal waters out to 12 nautical miles; the Shipping Forecast covers larger named sea areas. Their different scales mean neither is automatically ‘b...
Read the full lesson: Sources of Weather InformationAdd the complete practice layer
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