18 August 2011
Jersey Coastguard has launched a new weather and tide website. It's a ‘one stop’ portal for anyone interested in the Island's coast.
The site combines local data obtained from a wave data buoy at sea with other live port observations. It was created in partnership with Ports of Jersey and Jersey Marinas and offers a range of features, including current and future weather forecasts, tide conditions, wind direction and speed as well as sea temperatures and wave heights.
Although designed specifically for anyone using Jersey Marinas or sailing in local waters, Jersey Coastguard believes the site offers valuable safety advice and will be of equal benefit to residents and visitors who want to keep up to date with live weather and tide conditions. It allows fishermen to determine when their favourite rock will be submerged by the tide, surfers can look at the wave and swell heights off the coast and boat owners can find out when a particular berth dries.
CEO of Jersey Coastguard, Harbourmaster Captain Howard Le Cornu, said: "The sea plays an important role in Island life and many of us are dependent on keeping in close touch with the ever-changing tides, sea and weather conditions. By creating this dedicated site we have been able to collate all relevant information into one easy to understand and navigate portal."
The site is a pilot project and users currently register for free. It has been welcomed by the Island’s marine leisure growth group who have worked closely with Jersey Coastguard in the development stages of the project, as has Jersey Met Office, which will continue to feed live data to the site.
Enhanced features on the new site include:
- personalised location based ‘tide finder'
- full shipping forecast
- 5-day weather forecast, including wind directions and UV levels
- opening hours of both the St Helier and Elizabeth Marina gates
- offshore swell (wave) height
- advanced navigational and weather warnings
The site also has a facility that allows a user to check online when the tides are clear to access popular causeways such as those at Corbière Lighthouse, Elizabeth Castle and St Aubin's Fort.
Captain Le Cornu added: "Jersey Coastguard strives to provide information and guidance to make our coastal waters even safer to use and therefore, we are confident that this website will be a valuable point of reference to anyone who takes to the sea. Weather and tides are subjects of constant interest, especially to anyone living on an Island and we believe we have made it that little bit easier to access important data at the touch of a button."
Future features
Future features of the pilot site will include weather and tide information for nearby French and other Channel Island ports as well as online live webcam images. There's also an idea to develop the information as a local mobile Tide App site as well as incorporate a French translation of the information.
Islanders with any comments or ideas on how to improve the new site are invited to use the feedback forms available on it.
gov.je