Whereas last week’s weather over the North Sea was calm and stable, this week will bring generally rough conditions. Apart from the passage of two mobile ridges, low pressure conditions are expected to be prevailing during the week. Especially in the northern North Sea, the wind speed and wave height will reach values that inhibit offshore operations.
Currently, a ridge of high pressure, associated with a high pressure area over central Europe, is moving eastward over the North Sea. This ridge is bringing the calmest weather of this week. With wind speeds around the 20 kts and wave heights below the 3 meters in the entire North Sea, this is the most suitable day for your offshore activities.
However, from Wednesday onward, more unsettled conditions are expected over the largest part of the North Sea. By then, a low pressure system will track NE from the Atlantic into the Norwegian Sea, with associated frontal troughs affecting the North Sea. A secondary low will develop within one of these troughs, moving in northeasterly direction through the English Channel into the southern North Sea on Thursday. The trough will cause enhanced NE to SE wind speeds of over 40 kts in the northern and eastern parts of the North Sea, with significant wave heights above 5 meters in the northern and central North Sea, up to above 8 meters near the Norwegian coast (Figure 1). The secondary low is expected to bring winds just below 40 kts to the Dutch coast, and with 4 meters only moderate effects on wave heights. The forecast uncertainty is affected by this low however, as the exact track and development remain uncertain.
Following a relatively calm day on Friday, due to the passage of another mobile ridge, the weekend will bring new unsettled conditions to the North Sea. Two low pressure areas are expected in the Norwegian Sea area during the weekend, whose troughs will renew adverse conditions in especially the northern and central parts of the North Sea (Figure 2). Wind speeds of up to 45 kts and waves exceeding 8 meters are likely to develop in these areas. In most parts of the southern North Sea, the wind will reach over 30 kts, with waves rising above 4 meters.
Figure 2: High waves during the weekend.
In order to stay updated on the current developments of the evolving weather situations, we advise you to consult the latest weather reports.