Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low Bailey 999 expected Hebrides 1003 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in the utsires.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in the utsires.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in the utsires.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly south or southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly south or southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly south or southwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly south or southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly south or southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 or 5, decreasing 2 to 4, backing southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 or 5, decreasing 2 to 4, backing southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Northwest backing west or southwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northwest backing west or southwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 5 or 6 later in northwest. In north, northwesterly backing westerly, 3 to 5, then backing southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough in north. in north, rough occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- In south, showers, rain later in northwest. In north, showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor later in northwest. In north, good, becoming moderate or poor later.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 5 or 6 later in northwest. In north, northwesterly backing westerly, 3 to 5, then backing southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough in north. in north, rough occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- In south, showers, rain later in northwest. In north, showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor later in northwest. In north, good, becoming moderate or poor later.
Sole
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing westerly, 3 to 5, then backing southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor later.
Lundy
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, backing south or southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeasterly 4 or 5 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Malin
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- 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.