Why do so many Britons listen to a weather forecast for ships?
- Every night at 00:48, Radio 4 reads the weather for 31 parts of the sea.
- The names are always in the same order: Viking, Dogger, Fisher, German Bight...
- It has a strict word limit, and every word means one exact thing.
Most people who listen never go to sea. The calm voice helps them sleep.
Words for the text
- sea area
- A named part of the sea.
- gale
- A very strong wind.
- warning
- Words that say: be careful.
- visibility
- How far you can see.
- pressure
- The weight of the air.
The opening of the text
A voice in the night
Turn on BBC Radio 4 just before one o'clock at night. First you hear some gentle music. Then a calm voice begins to read a long list of names like Viking, Dogger, Fisher and German Bight.
It sounds a little like a poem, but it is very practical. This is the Shipping Forecast, the weather forecast for the seas around the British Isles. It tells sailors about the wind, the rain and how far they can see.
Join the founding readers