Solent Weather

Weather Forecasts and Observations

Met Office logoExample of surface pressure chart

Weather Forecasts

The Met Office web site provides: 

MO rain radar screenPresent conditions over UK

Where it is raining and how the rain areas are moving can be seen on the Met Office Observations Maps . The rainfall can be overlaid on satellite images (see examples) helping to determine whether a weather front or thunderstorm is approaching.

XCweather screenFor the latest observations of winds and pressures other web sites such as XCWeather  show more observations. Present weather at a chosen position can be displayed and forecasts (obtained from US sources) are available for the next few hours and up to a week in advance.

photo of Bramble Met PostWeather in the Solent

Present Weather Conditions at local NCI Stations can be obtained by calling the Station on VHF channel 65 or by telephone. "VHF call signs" and phone numbers are: "Calshot NCI" 023-8089-3562; "Gosport NCI" 023-9276-5194; "Lee NCI" 023-9255-6758; "Needles NCI" 019-8375-4231; "Stone Point NCI" 023-8111-2406. Stations are manned during daylight hours. If you have been unable to obtain the latest Inshore Weather Forecast from the Coastguard or elsewhere, you can call an NCI station on VHF channel 65 and request it.

Weather Observations are available on-line from NCI Gosport and NCI Stone Point (Lepe Country Park).  Other weather stations in the Solent area include Calshot Activities CentreHill Head Sailing Club, Hurst Castle, Yarmouth Pier, and Lymington Yacht Haven.   However remember that, since all these locations are onshore or close to it, the observations may not represent conditions over the open water. In particular wind speed and direction may be affected by neardy buildings and obstructions.

Bramblemet weather station  can be seen on a post in the middle of Bramble Bank.and the data is representative for conditions in the central Solent.  The Royal Lymington Yacht Club Starting Platform is a source of weather data in the western Solent, however it is relatively close to the shore.

N.B. NCI is not responsible for and cannot vouch for the accuracy or availability of the data sources and forecasts linked to from this web site.

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About

Currently almost 60 National Coastwatch stations are operational and manned by over 2600 volunteer watchkeepers around the British Isles from Fleetwood in the North West, through Wales, to the South and East of England to Filey in North Yorkshire. 

National Coastwatch watchkeepers provide the eyes and ears along the coast, monitoring radio channels and providing a listening watch in poor visibility. They are trained to deal with emergencies offering a variety of skills and experience, and full training by the National Coastwatch ensures that high standards are met.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The words National Coastwatch Institution and Eyes Along the Coast and the NCI logos are Registered Trademarks of NCI.

Contact


General enquiries
0300 111 1202

Media enquiries
0845 460 1202


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