Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings


The general synopsis at midnight

High Biscay 1025 dissipating

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map


Viking

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches for a time later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor for a time later.

Forties

Wind
South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain and showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind
South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in west.
Weather
Rain and showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind
South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in west.
Weather
Rain and showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in west.
Weather
Rain and showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind
South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain and showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind
Northwest backing south or southwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, fog patches later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally very poor later.

German Bight

Wind
Northwest backing south or southwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Humber

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in north.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Thames

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Dover

Wind
West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Wight

Wind
West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Portland

Wind
West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Plymouth

Wind
West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Biscay

Wind
Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)

Wind
Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6 in south, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fog patches in far east.
Visibility
Good, occasionally very poor in far east.

FitzRoy

Wind
In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5. In northwest, southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
In southeast, fair. In northwest, occasional rain.
Visibility
In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind
In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5. In northwest, southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
In southeast, fair. In northwest, occasional rain.
Visibility
In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good.

Sole

Wind
Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Lundy

Wind
Southwest veering west or northwest later, 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain and fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Fastnet

Wind
Southwest veering west or northwest later, 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain and fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Irish Sea

Wind
Southwest veering west or northwest later, 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather
Occasional rain and fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Shannon

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain and fog patches at first, thundery showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Rockall

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in far southwest.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain and fog patches at first, thundery showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Malin

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather
Occasional rain and fog patches at first, thundery showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Hebrides

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather
Occasional rain and fog patches at first, thundery showers later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Bailey

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Wind
South 4 to 6, veering west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain at times, fog patches for a time.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor for a time.

Faeroes

Wind
South 4 to 6, veering west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain at times, fog patches for a time.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor for a time.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly veering northerly or northeasterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain at times, fog patches for a time.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor for a time.

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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