Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 0600

Low German Bight 1000 moving away slowly eastwards

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather
Squally snow showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind
Northerly veering northeasterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather
Squally wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
North or northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
North or northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Tyne

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
North or northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dogger

Wind
Northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far west.
Weather
Squally wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind
Mainly northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or 4 at times.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far west.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind
Mainly northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or 4 at times.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far west.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
North or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first then 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in the far northwest.
Weather
Rain at first, then wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
North or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first then 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain at first, then wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
North or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first then 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain at first, then wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
North or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first then 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
North or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
North or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind
Westerly at first in south, otherwise northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued:

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in south.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

FitzRoy

Wind
Northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind
Northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind
North 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather
Squally showers, occasionally wintry.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind
North 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in north.
Weather
Squally showers, occasionally wintry.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind
North 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in north.
Weather
Squally showers, occasionally wintry.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind
North 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind
North 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough until later.
Weather
Squally wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind
North 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough until later.
Weather
Squally wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind
North 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough until later.
Weather
Squally wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind
North 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough until later.
Weather
Squally wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Northerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in east.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming high for a time in north.
Weather
Squally sleet or snow showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Northerly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally sleet or snow showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Northerly 5 or 6 until later in east, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Very rough at first in east, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, 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.