Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings


The general synopsis at midnight

New high expected Biscay 1030 by midnight tonight

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map


Viking

Wind
Southerly backing southeasterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind
Southerly backing southeasterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind
Southerly backing southeasterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind
Southwest 3 or 4, backing south, then veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, thundery at first, then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind
Southwest 3 or 4, backing south, then veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind
Southwest 3 or 4, backing south, then veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
Southwest 3 or 4, backing south, then veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind
Southwest 3 or 4, backing south, then veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, thundery at first, then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind
West 3 or 4, backing south or southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight, becoming moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind
West 3 or 4, backing south or southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight, becoming moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind
West 3 or 4, backing south or southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight, becoming moderate.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind
West 3 or 4, backing southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind
West 3 or 4, backing southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor, or very poor later.

Biscay

Wind
Southwesterly 4 or 5 at first in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 4 or 5 in far southwest.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight near shore.
Weather
Occasional drizzle in north.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate in north.

Trafalgar

Gale warning
Issued:

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
In far southeast, easterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, elsewhere northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Wind
In south, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In north, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
In south, moderate, occasionally rough. in north, moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
In south, fair. In north, occasional drizzle, fog patches later.
Visibility
In south, good. In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

FitzRoy

Wind
In south, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In north, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
In south, moderate, occasionally rough. in north, moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
In south, fair. In north, occasional drizzle, fog patches later.
Visibility
In south, good. In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Sole

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Occasional drizzle, fog patches later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Lundy

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or drizzle, fog patches developing later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor, or very poor later.

Fastnet

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or drizzle, fog patches developing later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor, or very poor later.

Irish Sea

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far south.
Weather
Rain or drizzle, fog patches developing later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor, or very poor later.

Shannon

Wind
Southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state
Rough.
Weather
Rain or drizzle.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind
South veering west or southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally moderate at first, becoming very rough later in west.
Weather
Rain or drizzle.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind
South veering west or southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather
Rain or drizzle.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind
Southeast, veering west or southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind
Southeast, veering west or southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly, 3 to 5, then veering westerly 5 or 6 later in south.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in south.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Faeroes

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly, 3 to 5, then veering westerly 5 or 6 later in south.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in south.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, but northerly or northwesterly in north, then becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, but slight near iceland, occasionally rough at first in far northeast.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

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.