Virkie tides today
- Tide now 7.4 ft ↑ rising · high 12:24 am (7.4 ft)
- Best time to fish 12:50–1:40 pm good day · 7/10
- Beach day Not today Not a beach day · 0/10
- Waves · water 11 ft · 53 °F rough · 9.2 s from the west
- Wind · air 17 mph · 53 °F from the WSW, gusts 29 · partly cloudy
- Surf today 2.8–4.2 ft Poor day · 3/10 · 1:00–5:00 pm
- Sun 7:19 am–4:18 pm 8 h 59 min of daylight
- Moon 85% · 4:50 pm waning gibbous · rises at 4:50 pm
Today in Virkie there are high tides at 12:24 am (7.4 ft) and 12:43 pm (7.2 ft) and low tides at 6:25 am and 6:50 pm. Tide coefficient 96. Right now the tide is rising toward the high tide at 12:24 am. The sun rises at 7:19 am and sets at 4:18 pm: 8 h 59 min of daylight. The moon is 85% illuminated (waning gibbous) and rises at 4:50 pm. Major solunar periods run from 1:31 am to 3:31 am and from 2:03 pm to 4:03 pm. The next spring tides arrive from November 9 to 11. The sea is rough, with 11 ft waves. There's a moderate breeze from the west-southwest (17 mph). Partly cloudy, 53 °F.
Fishing in Virkie today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: high- High tide at 12:43 pm, coefficient 92
- Minor period 12:46–1:46 pm (moonset)
- Rising pressure (+0.46 inHg in 24 h), light onshore wind (9 mph) and 7.0 ft waves
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
- Highest tide coefficient today: 96 (spring tides)
- A major period lines up with sunset
Your day at a glance
The best window, 12:50 pm to 1:40 pm, combines the 12:43 pm high tide, moonset and a light onshore breeze, though with rising pressure. Also worth a try from 3:10 pm to 4:00 pm, with a major period, sunset and a light onshore breeze, though with rising pressure.
Species with the most records nearby: haddock, whiting, Atlantic cod and European plaice. October is one of the months when these are seen most: European plaice and Atlantic mackerel. What you can catch
Beach day in Virkie
Is it a beach day?
- Cloudy (91% cloud cover)
- Feels like 52 °F: chilly for the beach
- Moderate onshore wind (13 mph): choppy water
- Swim with care: 8.4 ft waves every 9 s; high rip current risk
- Water at 53 °F (very cold)
- High tide at 12:43 pm, coefficient 92: little sand left
Today, hour by hour
- Swimming Use care · 8.4 ft
8.4 ft waves every 9 s: swim with care and stay where you can stand. High rip current risk. If you're caught in a rip current, don't swim against it: swim parallel to shore and wave for help. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 53 °F
Very cold: ease in and keep swims short.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 0 · SPF 15
Max UV 0 (low): SPF 15 sunscreen.
- Wind 13 mph
Moderate onshore wind (13 mph).
- Tide & sand 6:25 am
Low tide at 6:25 am and 6:50 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 12:24 am and 12:43 pm. Coefficient 96 (spring tides): little sand left at high tide.
We don't have data on jellyfish, sargassum or beach closures: ask the lifeguard or check with the local beach authority. How it works · The next 7 days
Beaches near Virkie
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Beach of Spiggie 4.1 mi · N
- St Ninian's tombolo 5.9 mi · N
- Parking
Named beaches within 6.2 mi, nearest first. Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. View on OpenStreetMap · Add or fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Webcams near Virkie
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Tides in Virkie
Today's high and low tides
- ▲ Next high tide 12:24 am 7.4 ft · coef. 96
- ▼ Low tide 6:25 am 2.0 ft
- ▲ High tide 12:43 pm 7.2 ft · coef. 92
- ▼ Low tide 6:50 pm 1.7 ft
↑ Rising The tide is rising. 7 min to high tide at 12:24 am.
Tide coefficient 96 for the 12:24 am high tide and 92 for the 12:43 pm high tide. Spring tides. The water rises and falls 5.7 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: a large range for this place. 70 is an average tide here; 90 and above means spring tides; below 45, neap tides. What is the tide coefficient?
2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on December 26 (7.6 ft) and the lowest, on July 16 (0.4 ft).
Semidiurnal: two high and two low tides a day, of similar height.
Heights above chart datum: the lowest astronomical tide (LAT), the zero of nautical charts in Europe. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. chart datum (LAT)
Tide coefficient and range in October
The biggest tides of the month came from October 26 to 28 (coefficient 100, 6.0 ft range). The smallest, on October 19 (coefficient 28, 1.4 ft).
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Coef. | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Thu 29 | 7:19 am · 4:18 pm | High tide 12:24 am · 7.4 ft | Low tide 6:25 am · 2.0 ft | High tide 12:43 pm · 7.2 ft | Low tide 6:50 pm · 1.7 ft | Coef. 96 | 85% | Major periods 1:31 am · 2:03 pm | High |
| Fri 30 | 7:22 am · 4:15 pm | High tide 1:13 am · 7.1 ft | Low tide 7:10 am · 2.5 ft | High tide 1:27 pm · 7.0 ft | Low tide 7:42 pm · 2.0 ft | Coef. 87 | 76% | Major periods 2:35 am · 3:07 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 7:24 am · 4:12 pm | High tide 2:05 am · 6.7 ft | Low tide 8:00 am · 3.0 ft | High tide 2:16 pm · 6.8 ft | Low tide 8:43 pm · 2.3 ft | Coef. 74 | 65% | Major periods 3:38 am · 4:08 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 7:27 am · 4:10 pm | High tide 3:06 am · 6.2 ft | Low tide 9:00 am · 3.5 ft | High tide 3:12 pm · 6.5 ft | Low tide 9:57 pm · 2.5 ft | Coef. 61 | Last quarter | Major periods 4:37 am · 5:05 pm | Low |
| Mon 2 | 7:29 am · 4:07 pm | High tide 4:20 am · 5.8 ft | Low tide 10:18 am · 3.7 ft | High tide 4:23 pm · 6.2 ft | Low tide 11:27 pm · 2.5 ft | Coef. 52 | 43% | Major periods 5:31 am · 5:56 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 7:32 am · 4:05 pm | High tide 5:51 am · 5.6 ft | Low tide 11:52 am · 3.6 ft | High tide 5:52 pm · 6.1 ft | — | Coef. 52 | 32% | Major periods 6:21 am · 6:44 pm | Medium |
| Wed 4 | 7:34 am · 4:02 pm | Low tide 12:48 am · 2.3 ft | High tide 7:06 am · 5.7 ft | Low tide 1:07 pm · 3.3 ft | High tide 7:08 pm · 6.3 ft | Coef. 60 | 23% | Major periods 7:07 am · 7:29 pm | Medium |
▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above chart datum (LAT). Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.
Where this tide comes from
Virkie has no station of its own, so we use the tide at Lerwick (Environment Agency), 19 mi away. On the open coast the difference is usually a few minutes and inches; inside estuaries, rivers and enclosed bays it can be much larger.
Station data attribution: This uses Environment Agency tide gauge data from the real-time data API (Beta): Lerwick (E74424), https://environment.data.gov.uk/flood-monitoring/id/stations/E74424. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/). Modified: harmonic constants fitted by TidePlanet from the 15-minute sea levels of 2025-10-29 to 2026-10-22 (356 days).
The sea at Virkie
Sea stateSea state: rough
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common5.4 ft
- Significant11 ft
- Highest expectedHighest22 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 22 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 22 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
Cross-onshore wind. The coast faces south and the wind comes in from the sea at an angle: a bit more surf at the shore and drift along the coast, toward land.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves ease over the next few days. The biggest waves arrive on Thursday 29: 11 ft with a period of 9 s, from the west (rough).
Water temperature
Water temperature →Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water is steady these days, with no sudden changes.
Water warmer than normal for late October (+2.1 °F).
Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses
Water temperature →Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 12:17 am (local time).
Surf in Virkie today
Surf today
Poor- 2.8–4.2 ft surf at the shore, a good size with some punch
- 6.0 ft swell at 7 s from the west, short: weak, messy waves; it hits this coast at an angle
- Light onshore wind (7 mph): a bit of chop
- Falling tide (low tide at 6:50 pm)
- Light: First light 6:35 am · sunrise 7:19 am · sunset 4:18 pm · last light 5:02 pm
- Tide: high 12:24 am (7.4 ft), low 6:25 am (2.0 ft), high 12:43 pm (7.2 ft) and low 6:50 pm (1.7 ft). Every break has its own tide: some work at low tide and others at high tide. The tide doesn’t change the score here.
- Water at 52.9 °F: a 5/4 fullsuit with booties (and a hood if it’s windy).
- Energy: 329 kJ · Medium power
Today’s surf at a glance
The best window, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, has a good size, though with a short-period swell.
An estimate for this stretch of coast, not for a specific break: every beach or reef works its own way (its tide, bottom and angle). Check it when you get there.
Follow the flags and the lifeguards, and don’t paddle out if the surf is above your level: this score is a guide, not a substitute for what you see when you get there.
Diving in Virkie today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: poor- Slack water around high tide (12:43 pm): little current from 12:28 pm to 1:00 pm
- 6.4 ft swell at 7 s from the west: strong surge on the bottom
- Light onshore wind (9 mph)
- 1.0 mph current toward the southeast (model)
- Sun high: more light underwater
- Slack water today: high tide 12:24 am (12:09–12:40 am), low tide 6:25 am (6:00–6:40 am), high tide 12:43 pm (12:28–1:00 pm) and low tide 6:50 pm (6:30–7:10 pm)
- Likely visibility: poor. Swell (up to 12 ft at 10 s) and wind over the last few days have stirred up the water. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 52.9 °F: a 7 mm semi-dry suit, with hood, gloves and booties.
- Snorkeling: better not, with these waves, wind or current.
- Night dive: dark from 5:02 pm. Waning gibbous (85%), rising at 4:50 pm: a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 12:30 pm to 1:20 pm, combines slack water at high tide, light wind and the sun high, though with a big swell and current. Also worth a look from 2:20 pm to 3:30 pm, with light wind, though with tidal current, some swell and current.
Slack water comes from the tide: in inlets, channels and between islands the water can keep running for an hour or two after. Ask the local dive shop.
Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.
Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
Within 12 mi. Some may be missing or closed; marine reserves usually need a permit. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Wreck and reef positions are approximate and not for navigation; a wreck’s depth runs from the top of the hull to the seabed.
Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Wrecks: EMODnet Human Activities (AND-International), from UK Hydrographic Office data, CC BY 4.0. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weather in Virkie
Now in Virkie
- Low / high
- 51 / 55 °F
- Rain
- 0.00 in · 43%
- Clouds
- 67%
- Humidity
- 84%
- Dew pointDew point
- 48 °F
- Visibility
- 18 mi
- UV indexUV
- 0 · low
- Air qualityAir
- Fair · 30
- Saharan dust
- No
- Pollen
- None
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising · now Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Rising now (+0.06 inHg in 3 hours). Over the next 48 hours: +0.33 inHg. Rising pressure: anglers say fish bite less for a while. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.
Today, hour by hourHour by hour
Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.
| Time | 12:00 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Partly cloudy | Overcast | Partly cloudy | Overcast | Overcast | Overcast | Partly cloudy | Overcast |
| Temperature | 53° | 53° | 53° | 53° | 55° | 55° | 52° | 52° |
| Wind (mph) | 17 WSW | 16 WSW | 14 WSW | 13 SW | 10 SW | 7 S | 7 S | 8 SSE |
| Gusts | 30 | 27 | 24 | 19 | 17 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Waves | 11 ft | 10 ft | 9.1 ft | 8.1 ft | 7.3 ft | 6.4 ft | 5.8 ft | 5.4 ft |
| Rain | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in |
- 12:00 am 53° 17 WSW 11 ft
- 3:00 am 53° 16 WSW 10 ft
- 6:00 am 53° 14 WSW 9.1 ft
- 9:00 am 53° 13 SW 8.1 ft
- 12:00 pm 55° 10 SW 7.3 ft
- 3:00 pm 55° 7 S 6.4 ft
- 6:00 pm 52° 7 S 5.8 ft
- 9:00 pm 52° 8 SSE 5.4 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave | High tides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 29 | 51 / 55 °F | 18 mph SW | 11 ft | 12:24 am · 12:43 pm | |
| Fri 30 | 51 / 55 °F | 23 mph S | 6.7 ft | 1:13 am · 1:27 pm | |
| Sat 31 | 50 / 54 °F | 12 mph W | 7.1 ft | 2:05 am · 2:16 pm | |
| Sun 1 | 47 / 50 °F | 15 mph NW | 5.9 ft | 3:06 am · 3:12 pm | |
| Mon 2 | 47 / 51 °F | 12 mph NW | 6.4 ft | 4:20 am · 4:23 pm | |
| Tue 3 | 49 / 51 °F | 11 mph WNW | 4.6 ft | 5:51 am · 5:52 pm | |
| Wed 4 | 50 / 52 °F | 13 mph WSW | 7.2 ft | 7:06 am · 7:08 pm | |
| Thu 5 | 50 / 51 °F | 11 mph WSW | 6.3 ft | 8:00 am · 8:06 pm | |
| Fri 6 | 47 / 50 °F | 9 mph SSW | 3.7 ft | 8:43 am · 8:55 pm | |
| Sat 7 | 47 / 49 °F | 11 mph WSW | 4.4 ft | 9:22 am · 9:38 pm | |
| Sun 8 | 45 / 50 °F | 7 mph WSW | 3.1 ft | 9:59 am · 10:18 pm | |
| Mon 9 | 48 / 50 °F | 15 mph S | 4.9 ft | 10:35 am · 10:56 pm | |
| Tue 10 | 49 / 51 °F | 16 mph ESE | 6.2 ft | 11:09 am · 11:34 pm | |
| Wed 11 | 49 / 51 °F | 17 mph SE | 7.2 ft | 11:44 am |
- Fri 30 Light rain 51° / 55° 6.7 ft
- Sat 31 Light rain 50° / 54° 7.1 ft
- Sun 1 Overcast 47° / 50° 5.9 ft
- Mon 2 Light drizzle 47° / 51° 6.4 ft
- Tue 3 Light drizzle 49° / 51° 4.6 ft
- Wed 4 Overcast 50° / 52° 7.2 ft
- Thu 5 Overcast 50° / 51° 6.3 ft
Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore. High tides: our own tide calculation.
- The models Partly agree · medium confidence: unsure about wind on Saturday 31. See the models →
- Normal Today, warmer than normal for late October (+4.9 °F; normal high: 50 °F). Climate by month →
Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 12:17 am (local time).
The sun in Virkie
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 5:46 am
- Full dark 5:51 pm
- Civil dawn 6:35 am
- Civil dusk 5:02 pm
- Solar noon 11:49 am (17° high)
- Daylight 8 h 59 min (−5 min)
- Evening golden hour 3:12 pm
- Full dark 5:51 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,335,462 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in Virkie
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,641 mi away and looks 32′ 45″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: high- 1:31–3:31 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 2:03–4:03 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 12:46–1:46 pm Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 4:20–5:20 pm Minor · moonrise · medium activity
According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.
Upcoming moon phases
2026 moon calendar →- Last quarter Sun, Nov 1 · 8:29 pmNov 1 in 3 days
- New moon Mon, Nov 9 · 7:03 amNov 9 in 11 days
- First quarter Tue, Nov 17 · 11:48 amNov 17 in 19 days
- Full moon Tue, Nov 24 · 2:54 pmNov 24 in 26 days
Next perigee (the moon at its closest to Earth): November 25, 223,281 mi away.
Where to fish in Virkie
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Water depth
Gentle slopeThe bottom slopes gently: 16 ft deep 0.65 mi from shore and 33 ft at 0.65 mi. It reaches 164 ft at 1.2 mi.
From the shoreline (1.7 mi from Virkie) out to sea, heading south.
How far from shore
- 16 ft deep0.65 mi
- 33 ft deep0.65 mi
- 66 ft deep0.7 mi
- 164 ft deep1.2 mi
For fishing, swimming and diving
- Shore fishing. Shallow, gradual bottom (16 ft at 0.65 mi): cast far from the beach and fish the high tide, when there is more water close in.
- Swimming. A very gentle way in with plenty of shallow water, good for kids. At low tide the water can be far out.
- Diving. Shallow near shore: you only reach 33 ft at 0.65 mi. For dives deeper than 33 ft, go by boat.
Source: EMODnet Bathymetry DTM 2024 (CC BY 4.0), cells of about 380 ft; depth at the lowest astronomical tide. For reference only: not for navigation or anchoring.
Nearest lighthouse
Sumburgh Head Lighthouse 2.5 mi southeast
- Light
- 3 white flashes every 30 s · Fl(3) W 30s
- Range
- 23 nautical miles (26 mi)
- Light height
- 299 ft above sea level
- Tower height
- 56 ft
- Built
- 1821
Light details: NGA List of Lights (USA); the rest from Wikidata. For reference only: not for navigation. Wikipedia · Wikidata · Sources and licenses
Tides near VirkieTides nearby
All places in Shetland Islands, A to Z (253) →Virkie at a glance
- Town or city. Coordinates: 59.887° N, 1.308° W.
- It is 19 mi south of Lerwick, the main place in Shetland Islands. The sun rises at the same time and sets 2 min later than in Lerwick.
- The nearest tide station, Lerwick, is 19 mi to the north.
- Its coast faces south.
Questions about VirkieQuestions
What time is high tide today in Virkie?
Today in Virkie there are high tides at 12:24 am (7.4 ft) and 12:43 pm (7.2 ft) and low tides at 6:25 am and 6:50 pm. Tide coefficient 96.
What time is sunset today in Virkie?
At 4:18 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 5:02 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in Virkie?
At 7:22 am. First light comes at 5:48 am.
What phase is the moon today?
Waning gibbous, 85% illuminated. New moon on Mon, Nov 9 · 7:03 am.
When are the next spring tides?
From November 9 to 11.
What are today's solunar periods?
Major 1:31–3:31 am, Minor 12:46–1:46 pm, Major 2:03–4:03 pm, Minor 4:20–5:20 pm. Today's activity is high.
What's the weather like today in Virkie?
Overcast, from 51 °F to 55 °F, with a moderate breeze from the west-southwest (17 mph) and a 43% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in Virkie?
Rough (Douglas 5): 11 ft waves with a period of 9.2 s from the west. The water is 52.9 °F.
When is the best time to visit Virkie?
The best time to visit Virkie is from June to August: highs of 56 °F to 59 °F, about 11 rainy days a month and 5 hours of sunshine a day.
Can I use this data for navigation?
No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.
Where this data comes from
Tide: Lerwick tide gauge (UK National Tide Gauge Network). This uses Environment Agency tide gauge data from the real-time data API (Beta), under the Open Government Licence v3.0; constants fitted by TidePlanet from a year of its readings. Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).