Chart datum and ordnance datum | National Tidal and Sea Level Facility
Source: http://www.ntslf.org/tides/datum
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:11
Chart datum and ordnance datum | National Tidal and Sea Level Facility
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Tidal predictions – UK and Ireland
UK South Atlantic Network
Gibraltar sea level station
Tidal predictions – South Atlantic
Tide gauge instruments
Definitions of tidal levels
Chart datum and ordnance datum
Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL)
(external link)
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Proudman Building, Liverpool weather station
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Surge model archive: 2004–2019
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Skew surge history: England – south
Skew surge history: England – east
Skew surge history: England – west
Skew surge history: Wales
Skew surge history: Scotland
Skew surge history: Northern Ireland
Skew surge history: Isle of Man
Skew surge history: Channel Islands
Sea level trends
Sea level trend charts
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Chart datum and ordnance datum
Differences at selected ports in the UK and Ireland
Tidal levels on this site (and most published tide tables) are given as a height above chart datum (approximately the lowest level due to astronomical effects and excluding meteorological effects). The heights of chart datum (CD) relative to ordnance datum (OD) at Newlyn (except where indicated) in the UK are listed below. The values are usually negative indicating that chart datum is below ordnance datum.
If for example, you have a tidal height at Liverpool of 10m above CD and want to convert it to be relative to OD, then add the value from the table below
10m CD + ( −4.93m ) = 5.07m OD
As ordnance datum is generally above chart datum, the numbers on a tide table when given to OD are usually lower than when given to chart datum.
Read more about
ordnance datum at Newlyn
.
Download a
tidal datums information sheet
.
England – south
Avonmouth
−6.50m
Bournemouth
−1.40m
Devonport
−3.22m
Dover
−3.67m
Hinkley
−5.90m
Ilfracombe
−4.80m
Newhaven
−3.52m
Newlyn
−3.05m
Portsmouth
−2.73m
St. Mary’s (local OD)
−2.91m
Southampton
−2.74m
Weymouth
−0.93m
England – east
Cromer
−2.75m
Felixstowe
−1.95m
Immingham
−3.90m
Lowestoft
−1.50m
North Shields
−2.60m
Sheerness
−2.90m
Whitby
−3.00m
England – west
Blackpool
−4.90m
Formby
−4.93m
Heysham
−4.90m
Hilbre Island
−4.93m
Liverpool
−4.93m
Southport
−4.90m
Workington
−4.20m
Wales
Barmouth
−2.44m
Fishguard
−2.44m
Holyhead
−3.05m
Llandudno
−3.85m
Milford Haven
−3.71m
Mumbles
−5.00m
Newport
−5.81m
Scotland
Aberdeen
−2.25m
Kinlochbervie
−2.50m
Leith
−2.90m
Lerwick (local OD)
−1.22m
Millport
−1.62m
Moray Firth
−2.22m
Port Ellen
−0.19m
Portpatrick
−1.80m
Stornoway (local OD)
−2.71m
Tobermory
−2.39m
Ullapool
−2.75m
Wick
−1.71m
Northern Ireland
(OD Belfast
= OD Dublin +2.71m)
Bangor
−2.01m
Belfast
−2.01m
Donaghadee
−2.26m
Londonderry
−1.61m
Portrush
−1.24m
Ireland
(OD Dublin)
Cobh
+0.13m
Dublin
+0.20m
Limerick
−0.46m
Rosslare
+1.02m
Sligo
+0.69m
Sligo (special datum)
−0.81m
Isle of Man
Port Erin (local OD)
−2.75m
Channel Islands
St. Helier (local OD)
−5.88m
Skip to main content
National Tidal and Sea Level Facility
Tides
Storm surges
Products
About
Search
About tides
Tides – questions and answers
Sea level – questions and answers
The Doodson-Légé Tide Predicting Machine
Tide clocks and watches
Tidal river bores
The River Dee / Afon Dyfrdwy
The River Mersey
UK National Tide Gauge Network
Data availability
Tidal predictions – UK and Ireland
UK South Atlantic Network
Gibraltar sea level station
Tidal predictions – South Atlantic
Tide gauge instruments
Definitions of tidal levels
Chart datum and ordnance datum
Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL)
(external link)
Engineers’ page
Proudman Building, Liverpool weather station
About storm surges
Tide-surge model
Surge model forecast
Surge model archive
Surge model archive: 2004–2019
Surge model ensemble forecasting
Skew surges
Skew surge history: England – south
Skew surge history: England – east
Skew surge history: England – west
Skew surge history: Wales
Skew surge history: Scotland
Skew surge history: Northern Ireland
Skew surge history: Isle of Man
Skew surge history: Channel Islands
Sea level trends
Sea level trend charts
Software
Contact us
Chart datum and ordnance datum
Differences at selected ports in the UK and Ireland
Tidal levels on this site (and most published tide tables) are given as a height above chart datum (approximately the lowest level due to astronomical effects and excluding meteorological effects). The heights of chart datum (CD) relative to ordnance datum (OD) at Newlyn (except where indicated) in the UK are listed below. The values are usually negative indicating that chart datum is below ordnance datum.
If for example, you have a tidal height at Liverpool of 10m above CD and want to convert it to be relative to OD, then add the value from the table below
10m CD + ( −4.93m ) = 5.07m OD
As ordnance datum is generally above chart datum, the numbers on a tide table when given to OD are usually lower than when given to chart datum.
Read more about
ordnance datum at Newlyn
.
Download a
tidal datums information sheet
.
England – south
Avonmouth
−6.50m
Bournemouth
−1.40m
Devonport
−3.22m
Dover
−3.67m
Hinkley
−5.90m
Ilfracombe
−4.80m
Newhaven
−3.52m
Newlyn
−3.05m
Portsmouth
−2.73m
St. Mary’s (local OD)
−2.91m
Southampton
−2.74m
Weymouth
−0.93m
England – east
Cromer
−2.75m
Felixstowe
−1.95m
Immingham
−3.90m
Lowestoft
−1.50m
North Shields
−2.60m
Sheerness
−2.90m
Whitby
−3.00m
England – west
Blackpool
−4.90m
Formby
−4.93m
Heysham
−4.90m
Hilbre Island
−4.93m
Liverpool
−4.93m
Southport
−4.90m
Workington
−4.20m
Wales
Barmouth
−2.44m
Fishguard
−2.44m
Holyhead
−3.05m
Llandudno
−3.85m
Milford Haven
−3.71m
Mumbles
−5.00m
Newport
−5.81m
Scotland
Aberdeen
−2.25m
Kinlochbervie
−2.50m
Leith
−2.90m
Lerwick (local OD)
−1.22m
Millport
−1.62m
Moray Firth
−2.22m
Port Ellen
−0.19m
Portpatrick
−1.80m
Stornoway (local OD)
−2.71m
Tobermory
−2.39m
Ullapool
−2.75m
Wick
−1.71m
Northern Ireland
(OD Belfast
= OD Dublin +2.71m)
Bangor
−2.01m
Belfast
−2.01m
Donaghadee
−2.26m
Londonderry
−1.61m
Portrush
−1.24m
Ireland
(OD Dublin)
Cobh
+0.13m
Dublin
+0.20m
Limerick
−0.46m
Rosslare
+1.02m
Sligo
+0.69m
Sligo (special datum)
−0.81m
Isle of Man
Port Erin (local OD)
−2.75m
Channel Islands
St. Helier (local OD)
−5.88m