Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low just west of Rockall 957 expected east of Iceland with little change by 1800 Tuesday. New low moving rather quickly northeast, expected north of Faeroes 960 by same time

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 imminent, veering southerly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state
Rough becoming very rough, occasionally high.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state
Rough becoming very rough, occasionally high.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough becoming very rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly soon

Wind
South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly soon

Wind
South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time in northwest.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly soon

Wind
Southwest, veering west later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest, veering west later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest, veering west later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest, veering west later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Southwest, veering west later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Southwest, veering west later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Southwesterly 6 to gale 8 at first in northwest, otherwise cyclonic becoming northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in southeast, rough or very rough in northwest.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind
In southeast, southwesterly 5 to 7, veering northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5. In northwest, westerly or southwesterly, veering northwesterly for a time, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state
In southeast, rough or very rough. in northwest, very rough, occasionally high at first in north.
Weather
In southeast, rain at first. In northwest, showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind
In southeast, southwesterly 5 to 7, veering northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5. In northwest, westerly or southwesterly, veering northwesterly for a time, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state
In southeast, rough or very rough. in northwest, very rough, occasionally high at first in north.
Weather
In southeast, rain at first. In northwest, showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly imminent, veering westerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
West or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state
High, becoming very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon, veering westerly and increasing violent storm force 11 later

Wind
Cyclonic becoming west or southwest, gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally 7 at first, then increasing violent storm 11 at times, decreasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high occasionally very high.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 imminent, veering southerly soon, veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 later

Wind
Cyclonic becoming west or southwest, gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high occasionally very high.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering southerly imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon, veering southwesterly and increasing violent storm force 11 later

Wind
Cyclonic becoming west or southwest, gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally 7 at first, then increasing violent storm 11 at times, decreasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high occasionally very high.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing northeasterly and increasing severe gale force 9 imminent, backing northwesterly and increasing violent storm force 11 soon

Wind
Cyclonic becoming west or southwest, gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally 7 at first, then increasing violent storm 11 at times, decreasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high occasionally very high.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 later

Wind
South 6 to gale 8, veering southwest gale 8 to storm 10.
Sea state
Rough becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high later in north and west.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 imminent, veering westerly and increasing storm force 10 later

Wind
Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time, then occasionally storm 10.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high later in south.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Easterly gale force 8 expected soon, backing northeasterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate, occasionally poor.

Shipping forecast information

The shipping forecast is issued four times a day at 2300, 0500, 1100, 1700 UTC and covers a period of 24 hours from 0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 UTC respectively.

The waters around the British Isles are divided into 31 sea areas shown on the map.

The forecast contains details of gale warnings in force, a general synopsis and sea-area forecasts containing wind direction and force, sea state, weather and visibility.

Gale warnings are issued as required throughout the day (for winds of Gale Force 8 or more).

Marine forecasts disclaimer

In the UK, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) is responsible for the provision of Maritime Safety Information (MSI) to ships at sea, which includes the broadcast of warnings and forecasts. The Met Office initiates warnings and prepares routine forecasts for dissemination on behalf of the MCA.

Caution: The internet is not part of the Maritime Safety Information system and should never be relied upon as the only means to obtain the latest forecast and warning information. Access to the service may be interrupted or delayed from time to time, updates may also be delayed.

Please refer to GMDSS services, INMARSAT SafetyNET or international NAVTEX for the latest information. When using these web pages, always check that the page on your screen is not from your cache. Use the Refresh or Reload button if in any doubt.

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