Guernsey Weather Fox

Saturday

Weather

As well as being very windy and showery, it’s also been mostly very cloudy this week, so the great news for this day is that there will be quite a lot of sunshine. The reason being that the wind has swung to a full NW’ly, drawing cold and relatively dry air down from polar regions. Because the sea is much warmer than the air, convection (eg showers) will be easily triggered. However, because the air will be relatively dry, these showers will be sparsely scattered, so they are more likely to miss us than hit us. Current expectations are for one or two showers at breakfast time, then lots of showers late evening, but possibly staying dry throughout the hours between. Despite the sunshine, max temps will only be 12-13°C and the wind-chill will make it feel more like 8°C. Head south or east for a decent bit of shelter.

Surf and the Water

Very messy west-coast surf (3-4 feet), but the windsurfing and kitesurfing should be good tin that neck of the woods. There’s a slight chance of finding some clean 1-2 foot waves on the south coast in the morning, but that’s probably wishful thinking. Swimming conditions will be best around high tide, so long as you stick to the south or the east. Tides will be about 8.7m high at 9:10am, then low around 3:30pm.

Sunday and Monday

Weather

The winds will remain NW’ly, moderating a little on Sunday but it will feel just as chilly because the skies will be cloudier. Monday, however, will be more like Saturday, with quite a lot more sunshine but also quite a lot more wind. Thus, temperatures are unlikely to exceed 13°C on either day. Showers will fall mainly in the night time, but there is the chance of a few on Sunday afternoon and on Monday morning too. Once again, the south and east coasts will always be the most comfortably sheltered.

Surf and the Water

Choppy 3-4 foot surf on Sunday then 5-6 foot surf on Monday. The windsurfing and kitesurfing will be best on Monday as well. High tide will once agin be the best time to head for a swim on the sheltered south and east coasts. Those highs being 8.4m around 8:30am on Sunday and 7.9m around 9am on Monday.

Tuesday and Wednesday

Weather

Tuesday’s winds will be force 5 W’ly at dawn, relaxing to force 4 SW’ly by dusk, then on Wednesday they will be just light force 2-3 SE’ly. Skies will be mostly cloudy both days, but there will be the odd ray of sunshine slipping through. Equally however, there will probably be the odd light shower. There might just be a marginal improvement in temperature, probably peaking at 14°C each day, and certainly feeling much more comfortable on Wednesday, when the winds fall light.

Surf and the Water

Choppy 3 foot surf on Tuesday, then clean 2 foot surf on Wednesday. Neither day looking special for windsurfers or kitesurfers, but I think those guys deserve a day off just like the rest of us. For a swim, head east on Tuesday, and head west on Wednesday. Tides will be 7.4m high at 9:40am Tuesday and 7m high at 10:30am Wednesday.

Thursday and Friday

Weather

Thursday’s SSE’ly wind will gradually pick up to fresh force 5, then Friday’s SSW’ly will go from fresh force 5 to strong force 7, or possibly even gale force 8. Both days will be mostly cloudy with a risk of heavy showers or perhaps some longer spells of rain. The wind direction will at least be the recipe for a decent hike in the temperature, with likely maxima of 16°C or perhaps 17°C both days.

Surf and the Water

3 foot surf on Thursday and then 4-5 foot surf on Friday. Both days amazingly clean, although the strength of the wind may be a bit hard to handle on Friday (awesome for hardcore windsurfers and kitesurfers though). Tides will be high around lunchtime, 6.8m and 7m respectively.