Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midday

New low expected Lincolnshire 1007 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Wind
Northerly backing northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Rain at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

North Utsire

Wind
Northerly backing northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Rain at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

South Utsire

Wind
Northwesterly 2 to 4 increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight becoming moderate.
Weather
Rain at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Forties

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming north 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind
Northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6, becoming variable 4 or less.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind
Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 4 or less.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
Variable 4 or less becoming northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind
Variable 4 or less becoming northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind
Variable 4 or less becoming northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind
Variable 4 or less becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in northwest.
Weather
Rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind
Variable 4 or less becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in northwest.
Weather
Rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind
East veering southwest, 2 to 4, occasionally 5.
Sea state
Smooth occasionally slight.
Weather
Thundery rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind
East veering southwest, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth occasionally slight.
Weather
Thundery rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Wight

Wind
Variable, mainly south, 4 or less.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Thundery rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Portland

Wind
Variable, mainly south, 4 or less.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Thundery rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Plymouth

Wind
Variable, mainly south, 4 or less.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far southwest.
Weather
Thundery rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Biscay

Wind
Variable, becoming westerly, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued:

Wind
Variable, mainly west, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

FitzRoy

Wind
In east, variable, becoming westerly, 2 to 4. In west, northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5.
Sea state
In east, slight or moderate. in west, moderate.
Weather
In east, thundery showers. In west, rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind
In west, northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. In east, variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
In west, moderate, occasionally rough later. in east, slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Rain, thundery later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in southwest, but smooth or slight in northeast.
Weather
Rain, thundery later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind
Variable 4 or less becoming northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind
North 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind
North 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind
Cyclonic, mainly northeast, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in east, otherwise moderate, occasionally rough in west.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind
Northeasterly backing westerly, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Bailey

Wind
Westerly in north, elsewhere northeasterly backing westerly, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Fair Isle

Wind
Northeasterly backing westerly, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Faeroes

Wind
Variable 4 or less becoming west or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Southwesterly 5 to 7 veering northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

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.