Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
Low Rockall 1011 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- West or northwest becoming variable, then northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in northeast, smooth or slight in southwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- West or northwest becoming variable, then northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- West or northwest becoming variable, then northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- West or northwest becoming variable, 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in northeast.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or northwest 2 to 4 veering north or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable becoming mainly northwest, 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable becoming mainly northwest, 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming northwest 3 to 5, then backing west later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northwest, backing west later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- In northwest, northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5. In southeast, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northwest, fair. In southeast, thundery showers near the coast.
- Visibility
- In northwest, good. In southeast, good, occasionally moderate near the coast.
Biscay
- Wind
- In northwest, northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5. In southeast, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northwest, fair. In southeast, thundery showers near the coast.
- Visibility
- In northwest, good. In southeast, good, occasionally moderate near the coast.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 in far southeast, elsewhere northerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in far southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In north, variable becoming westerly or northwesterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, occasional rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in north.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In north, variable becoming westerly or northwesterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, occasional rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in north.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable becoming westerly or northwesterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- West or southwest, veering northwest for a time, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in south.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Rockall
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming east or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Bailey
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming east or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor later in southwest.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Variable becoming north or northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Variable becoming north or northeast, then veering east later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5 in south but variable 3 or less in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
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.