Time News
High pressure building for the weekend
After what feels like weeks and indeed months of wind and rain, there is some good news on the horizon.
Read moreWest Sandwick Beach (Shetland Islands) weather
Find a forecast
Here are our top tips to keep you, your friends and family safe at the beach with links to Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Met Office advice.
- Head to a lifeguarded beach; check the RNLI lifeguarded beach tool
- Follow RNLI Float to Live advice if you find yourself struggling in the water
- Know what to do if you get caught in a rip current (RNLI)
- Check the tide times to avoid getting cut off by the tide coming in
- Call 999 and ask for the coastguard in an emergency
- Learn more about staying safe at the beach
Forecast days
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Today. Maximum daytime temperature: 18 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by lunchtime. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Moderate; Pollen: Low.Today. Maximum daytime temperature: 18 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by lunchtime. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Moderate; Pollen: Low.
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Sunday 12 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 13 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.Sunday 12 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 13 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.
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Monday 13 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to light showers in the afternoon. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.Monday 13 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to light showers in the afternoon. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.
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Tuesday 14 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Light rain changing to overcast by lunchtime. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.Tuesday 14 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Light rain changing to overcast by lunchtime. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.
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Wednesday 15 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.Wednesday 15 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate; Pollution: Low; Pollen: Low.
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Thursday 16 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by lunchtime. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate;Thursday 16 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by lunchtime. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate;
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Friday 17 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to light rain by nighttime. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate;Friday 17 May. Maximum daytime temperature: 14 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to light rain by nighttime. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Moderate;
Seven day forecast for West Sandwick Beach
| Time | 09:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 | 12:00 | 13:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 | 19:00 | 20:00 | 21:00 | 22:00 | 23:00 |
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Chance of precipitation
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<5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% |
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14°
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15°
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16°
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16°
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17°
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17°
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17°
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17°
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17°
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16°
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15°
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14°
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12°
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11°
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11°
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12° | 14° | 14° | 14° | 15° | 15° | 15° | 15° | 15° | 15° | 14° | 12° | 10° | 9° | 8° |
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S
10
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S
10
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S
10
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S
11
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S
12
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S
12
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S
11
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SSW
10
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S
10
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S
9
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SSE
9
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SSE
10
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SSE
11
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SSE
12
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SSE
12
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14 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 20 |
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0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
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8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
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Direction of waves offshore
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G | VG | G | G | G | G | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | G | G | G |
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Humidity
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76% | 70% | 68% | 67% | 62% | 62% | 60% | 62% | 64% | 66% | 70% | 76% | 82% | 87% | 88% |
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UV
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2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Time | 00:00 | 01:00 | 02:00 | 03:00 | 04:00 | 05:00 | 06:00 | 07:00 | 08:00 | 09:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 | 12:00 | 13:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 | 19:00 | 20:00 | 21:00 | 22:00 | 23:00 |
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| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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<5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% |
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11°
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10°
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10°
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10°
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10°
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10°
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10°
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10°
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11°
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11°
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12°
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12°
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13°
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13°
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13°
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13°
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13°
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12°
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12°
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12°
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11°
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11°
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11°
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11°
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8° | 8° | 7° | 7° | 7° | 7° | 7° | 7° | 7° | 8° | 8° | 9° | 9° | 10° | 9° | 9° | 9° | 9° | 9° | 8° | 8° | 8° | 7° | 7° |
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SSE
13
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SSE
14
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SSE
15
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SSE
16
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SSE
16
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SSE
17
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SSE
18
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SSE
19
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SSE
20
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SSE
20
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SSE
21
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SSE
21
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SSE
21
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SSE
21
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SSE
21
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SSE
21
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SSE
21
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SSE
20
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SSE
20
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SSE
19
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SSE
18
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SSE
18
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SSE
18
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SSE
18
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20 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 30 |
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0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
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8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
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Direction of waves offshore
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G | G | G | G | G | G | G | G | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG |
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Humidity
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89% | 92% | 92% | 91% | 90% | 91% | 91% | 90% | 86% | 84% | 81% | 78% | 75% | 74% | 75% | 78% | 79% | 81% | 82% | 84% | 84% | 85% | 85% | 85% |
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UV
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- | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Time | 00:00 | 01:00 | 04:00 | 07:00 | 10:00 | 13:00 | 16:00 | 19:00 | 22:00 |
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| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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<5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | 30% | 10% | 30% |
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10°
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10°
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10°
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11°
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13°
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13°
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13°
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12°
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11°
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7° | 7° | 6° | 8° | 9° | 10° | 9° | 8° | 8° |
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SSE
18
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SSE
18
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SSE
19
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SSE
19
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SSE
19
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SSE
20
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SSE
19
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SSE
17
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SSE
16
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30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 33 | 31 | 28 | 25 |
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0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
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3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
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Direction of waves offshore
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VG | VG | G | VG | VG | VG | VG | G | G |
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Humidity
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86% | 86% | 89% | 85% | 79% | 76% | 80% | 85% | 89% |
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UV
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- | - | - | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - |
| Time | 01:00 | 04:00 | 07:00 | 10:00 | 13:00 | 16:00 | 19:00 | 22:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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20% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 20% |
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11°
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11°
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11°
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12°
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13°
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13°
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12°
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11°
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8° | 8° | 8° | 9° | 10° | 11° | 9° | 8° |
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SSE
15
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SSE
15
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SSE
16
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SSE
17
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SSE
16
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SSE
15
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SSE
14
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SE
13
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24 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 20 |
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0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
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11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
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Direction of waves offshore
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G | M | G | G | G | G | G | G |
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Humidity
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92% | 94% | 93% | 89% | 85% | 83% | 87% | 89% |
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UV
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- | - | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - |
| Time | 01:00 | 04:00 | 07:00 | 10:00 | 13:00 | 16:00 | 19:00 | 22:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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20% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% |
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11°
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11°
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11°
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13°
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14°
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13°
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12°
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11°
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8° | 8° | 9° | 10° | 11° | 11° | 9° | 8° |
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SE
13
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SE
14
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SE
15
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SE
17
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SSE
17
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SSE
15
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SE
14
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SE
13
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20 | 22 | 24 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 23 | 20 |
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0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 |
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5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
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Direction of waves offshore
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G | G | G | G | G | G | G | G |
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Humidity
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90% | 90% | 88% | 84% | 81% | 82% | 86% | 91% |
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UV
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- | - | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - |
| Time | 01:00 | 04:00 | 07:00 | 10:00 | 13:00 | 16:00 | 19:00 | 22:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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10% | 10% | 20% | 10% | <5% | 10% | <5% | 10% |
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10°
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10°
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11°
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12°
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13°
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13°
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12°
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11°
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8° | 8° | 8° | 10° | 11° | 11° | 10° | 9° |
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SE
12
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SE
11
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SE
12
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SE
12
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SE
12
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S
11
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S
10
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SE
10
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18 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 15 |
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0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
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7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
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Direction of waves offshore
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G | G | G | G | G | G | VG | G |
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Humidity
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92% | 93% | 92% | 85% | 80% | 79% | 83% | 90% |
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UV
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- | - | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - |
| Time | 01:00 | 04:00 | 07:00 | 10:00 | 13:00 | 16:00 | 19:00 | 22:00 |
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| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 50% |
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10°
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10°
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11°
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12°
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13°
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13°
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12°
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11°
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8° | 8° | 9° | 10° | 11° | 11° | 10° | 9° |
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SSE
9
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SSW
9
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S
9
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S
10
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SSW
10
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SSW
10
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SSW
9
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SW
9
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13 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 14 |
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0.2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
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6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
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Direction of waves offshore
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– | – | – | – | – | – | – |
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G | G | G | G | G | G | G | G |
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Humidity
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92% | 92% | 88% | 82% | 78% | 79% | 83% | 89% |
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UV
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- | - | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
Our weather symbols tell you the weather conditions for any given hour in the day or night. This means that the symbol for 9am shows you what you will see from 9am to 10am.
Chance of precipitation represents how likely it is that rain (or other types of precipitation, such as sleet, snow, hail or drizzle) will fall from the sky at a certain time.
This number shows the air temperature for the time period. You can see the temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit by using the dropdown menu.
Feels like temperature considers other factors, such as wind speed and humidity. This gives you a better idea of how the temperature will actually feel at the time.
Wind gust shows the highest wind speed that you should encounter at that time, as winds peak and lull.
Strong winds are shown in bold for speeds of 29 mph or more.
The arrow shows the direction the wind is blowing. The letters show the direction the wind is blowing from (on a standard 16-point compass).
The number represents the average wind speed expected at that time.
The arrow shows the direction of the wind (up is north). If the arrow points from land to sea, the wind will be blowing out to sea (‘offshore’). The number is the average wind speed.
Beware of offshore winds if you are using inflatables, paddle boards or kayaks. These winds can blow you out to sea. Read more about how wind will affect you at the beach.
Visibility measures the distance at which an object can be clearly seen.
| VP (Very Poor) | Less than 1 km |
| P (Poor) | 1.1 km to 4 km |
| M (Moderate) | 4.1 km to 10 km |
| G (Good) | 10.1 km to 20 km |
| VG (Very Good) | 20.1 km to 40 km |
| E (Excellent) | Greater than 40 km |
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. If there is a lot of water vapour, the humidity will be high. The higher the percentage of humidity, the wetter it will feel outside.
UV exposure index and the protection required to help keep you safe:
No risk of UV - It’s safe to stay outside. Low - You can safely stay outside. Consider sunscreen in direct sunlight. Moderate - Take care during midday hours and do not spend too much time in the sun unprotected. Sunscreen advised. High - Seek shade during midday hours, cover up and wear sunscreen. Very high - Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm. Shirt, sunscreen and hat are essential. Extreme - Avoid being outside during midday hours. Shirt, sunscreen and hat essential.
This is the average height of the waves, 1-2 miles out to sea. The height of the waves can vary. The individual waves out to sea or at the beach can be higher than this number. If you are close to the water, keep an eye on the waves to stop you or your belongings being swept away.
Read more about calculating the expected height of the waves at the beach.
This is the average number of seconds between one wave and the next, 1-2 miles out to sea. A long wave period (more than 10 seconds) means the waves at the beach may be more powerful. Lifeguards can give you advice on waves if you’re planning to go into the water.
Read more about the period of waves.
The arrow shows the average direction of the waves 1-2 miles out to sea. It indicates how sheltered the beach will be from these waves. If the arrow points towards land, most of the waves’ power will reach the beach. If the arrow is parallel to or pointing away from land, the wave height is likely to be lower on the beach than it is offshore.
Lifeguards can give you advice on waves if you’re planning to go into the water.
Forecast row information
Tide times
Tide times
for Sat 11 May
Tide times and heights are from Mid Yell tidal station which is 4.8 miles away. So times may be different at this beach. What does this mean?
Contains ADMIRALTY® tidal data: © Crown Copyright and database right.
Tide times
Tide times
for Sun 12 May
Tide times and heights are from Mid Yell tidal station which is 4.8 miles away. So times may be different at this beach. What does this mean?
Contains ADMIRALTY® tidal data: © Crown Copyright and database right.
Tide times
Tide times
for Mon 13 May
Tide times and heights are from Mid Yell tidal station which is 4.8 miles away. So times may be different at this beach. What does this mean?
Contains ADMIRALTY® tidal data: © Crown Copyright and database right.
Tide times
Tide times
for Tue 14 May
Tide times and heights are from Mid Yell tidal station which is 4.8 miles away. So times may be different at this beach. What does this mean?
Contains ADMIRALTY® tidal data: © Crown Copyright and database right.
Tide times
Tide times
for Wed 15 May
Tide times and heights are from Mid Yell tidal station which is 4.8 miles away. So times may be different at this beach. What does this mean?
Contains ADMIRALTY® tidal data: © Crown Copyright and database right.
Tide times
Tide times
for Thu 16 May
Tide times and heights are from Mid Yell tidal station which is 4.8 miles away. So times may be different at this beach. What does this mean?
Contains ADMIRALTY® tidal data: © Crown Copyright and database right.
Tide times
Tide times
for Fri 17 May
Tide times and heights are from Mid Yell tidal station which is 4.8 miles away. So times may be different at this beach. What does this mean?
Contains ADMIRALTY® tidal data: © Crown Copyright and database right.
Tide times
Tide times
for Sat 18 May
Tide times and heights are from Mid Yell tidal station which is 4.8 miles away. So times may be different at this beach. What does this mean?
Contains ADMIRALTY® tidal data: © Crown Copyright and database right.
Tide times
Tide times
for Sun 19 May
Tide times and heights are from Mid Yell tidal station which is 4.8 miles away. So times may be different at this beach. What does this mean?
Contains ADMIRALTY® tidal data: © Crown Copyright and database right.
Tide times
Tide times
for Mon 20 May
Tide times and heights are from Mid Yell tidal station which is 4.8 miles away. So times may be different at this beach. What does this mean?
Contains ADMIRALTY® tidal data: © Crown Copyright and database right.
Tide times
Tide times
for Tue 21 May
Tide times and heights are from Mid Yell tidal station which is 4.8 miles away. So times may be different at this beach. What does this mean?
Contains ADMIRALTY® tidal data: © Crown Copyright and database right.
West Sandwick Beach weather map
View the weather with our interactive map
Loading map…
Orkney & Shetland weather forecast
Headline:
Dry on Saturday. Plenty of warm sunshine.
Today:
All parts will continue to be dry and warm with long bright and sunny periods and a light southeasterly breeze. Temperatures similar to or a touch higher than on Friday. Maximum temperature 19 °C.
Tonight:
It will stay dry through the evening and overnight, with patchy high cloud spreading in, but clear spells in places. Perhaps some haar edging in after midnight. Minimum temperature 9 °C.
Sunday:
Mainly dry with bright spells and some hazy sunshine on Sunday, but a chance of haar. Maximum temperature 16 °C.
Outlook for Monday to Wednesday:
Somewhat cloudy with a few showers between bright spells from Monday to Wednesday, with haar at times. Freshening southeast winds.
Updated:
UK long range weather forecast
Low pressure is expected to be dominant across the UK at the start of this period, bringing widely unsettled conditions. Most areas will be affected by showers, which could in a few places be heavy, slow-moving, with thunder and possibly hail, or even longer spells of rain at first. Winds will mostly be light, and temperatures around to a little above average for the time of year. Heading into next weekend and beyond confidence falls significantly, but on balance the weather is more likely to turn a little less unsettled, with a greater chance of longer drier interludes between further rain or showers. Temperatures overall most likely to be a little above average but the chances of any prolonged settled, dry or hot weather are lower than normal.
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Signals during this period are extremely weak, and for the most part indistinguishable from climatology. Similar weather conditions to those of the preceding few days are most likely to characterise this period to the end of May; a mixture of unsettled periods with rain and showers and settled interludes in-between. By early June, the chances of above and below average rainfall are evenly balanced. There is a slightly higher likelihood of above average temperatures compared with below average temperatures, such that the chance of hot spells, although still very small, is slightly higher than normal too.
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