Chart Reading

Doesn't look like the anticipated swell will hit us after all. You can see from the BBC Pressure Chart that the high pressure (that's what's making it a lot warmer today) has pushed up between the two lows (that were previously looking good for hitting us today) and forced them off to the side of us.

Basically a low pressure system to the north of Ireland means bad weather out in the North Atlantic which will generate ocean storms and the effects of those storms are big waves which ripple towards us just like when a stone hits the surface of a pond. Swell comes off at similar angles to the orientation of the isobar lines on a pressure map and can travel 300 - 400 km in a day.

So no swell up on the North Coast today even though wind conditions are perfect; moderate SW means offshore on the north coast beaches.

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