Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Mid-Atlantic low 994, slow moving with little change, 993 by 1800 Tuesday
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- In northeast, northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4. In southwest, variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In northeast, moderate, becoming slight or moderate. in southwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northeast, showers. In southwest, rain at times.
- Visibility
- In northeast, good. In southwest, good occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Wind
- In northeast, northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4. In southwest, variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In northeast, moderate, becoming slight or moderate. in southwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northeast, showers. In southwest, rain at times.
- Visibility
- In northeast, good. In southwest, good occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming west or southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers at first, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming west or southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers at first, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- West or northwest backing southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain at times, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or northwest backing southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain at times, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time, becoming variable 3 or less at times in southeast and northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4, but occasionally northwesterly 5 in far southeast. In northwest, westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, rain or drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4, but occasionally northwesterly 5 in far southeast. In northwest, westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, rain or drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Cyclonic at first, otherwise westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming south, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming south, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming south, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Easterly becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Bailey
- Wind
- Easterly becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or good occasionally poor later.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or good occasionally poor later.
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.