Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings


The general synopsis at midnight

High 250 miles west of Rockall 1036 slow-moving, intensifying 1038 by midnight tonight

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map


Viking

Wind
North backing west or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Drizzle later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

North Utsire

Wind
Northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Drizzle later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

South Utsire

Wind
Northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Forties

Wind
Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional drizzle.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind
Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional drizzle.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind
Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Tyne

Wind
Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Dogger

Wind
North or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 3.
Sea state
Moderate occasionally slight.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Fisher

Wind
North or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state
Moderate occasionally slight.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

German Bight

Wind
North or northwest 4 or 5.
Sea state
Moderate occasionally slight.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Humber

Wind
Northerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time in west.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Thames

Wind
Northerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time in west.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Dover

Wind
Northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in northeast.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Wight

Wind
Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times in north.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Portland

Wind
Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times in north.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Plymouth

Wind
Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times in north.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far west.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Biscay

Wind
Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in south.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in northeast.
Weather
Thundery showers in south.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate in south.

FitzRoy

Wind
Cyclonic in far south, otherwise northeasterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in south.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Thundery showers in south.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate in south.

Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)

Wind
Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times in southeast.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far northwest.
Weather
Showers, thundery later in northwest.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate in northwest.

Sole

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Lundy

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Fastnet

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in north.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Irish Sea

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, but northwesterly 4 to 6 in north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Shannon

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Rockall

Wind
Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Drizzle at times.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind
Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Drizzle at times.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather
Occasional drizzle.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough in north.
Weather
Occasional drizzle.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first, increasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional drizzle.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 at first in northeast, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight at first then becoming rough at times.
Weather
Occasional drizzle, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 in far north, otherwise westerly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Drizzle later, fog patches in northeast.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in northeast.

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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