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This section shows the latest wave buoy data around
the UK. Data for the rest of Europe will be added as soon as it
becomes available.
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Each area should have 4 graphs (wind direction, wind speed, wave height, wave period) but due to the
harsh environment they work in, wave buoy data can
be sketchy, and you will not always get 4 graphs per area. Just
because it's live data doesn't mean it should be taken at face value
- if any graph is unchanged for 24 hours then the buoy is not
working !
How to read wave buoy graphs
Each graph shows how a given measurement (such as wave height) has
changed over the past 24 hours. Here's a rough guide to understanding
the wave buoy data -
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What's on the graph
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What it tells us
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The horizontal axis (along the bottom of the
graph)
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Date and time
The number on top is the date
(eg. 06/01 for June 1st). The number below it is
the time, as a 24 hour clock (eg. 0Z is midnight,
06Z is 6am, 12Z is midday, 18Z is 6pm).
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The vertical axis (up the left hand side of
the graph)
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Wind direction (degrees)
0 degrees
is a northerly wind (a wind blowing from the
north), 90 is an easterly wind, 180 is a southerly wind,
270 is a westerly wind.
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Wind speed (knots)
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Knots
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Mph
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Force
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Comments
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10 knots
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12 mph
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Force 3
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Light flags extended. Large wavelets. Crests begin to break, scattered whitecaps.
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20 knots
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23 mph
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Force 5
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Small trees in leaf begin to sway. Moderate waves,
many whitecaps, some spray.
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30 knots
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35 mph
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Force 7
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Whole trees in motion. Resistance felt walking against the wind.
White foam from breaking waves begins to be blown in streaks.
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Wave height (feet)
This is the "significant"
wave height (the mathematical average of the highest
third of the waves measured).
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Wave period (seconds)
This is the interval in
seconds between successive waves.
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Take your choice !
Please choose a wave buoy, either from the map, or the list.
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