Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Low Portugal 1014 expected Biscay 1010 by 1800 Tuesday
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5, backing southwesterly, 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5, backing southwesterly, 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly backing westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, occasionally moderate.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly backing westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough until later in northeast, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, occasionally moderate.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly backing westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers, occasionally moderate.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, backing westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5 later, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers, occasionally moderate.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, backing westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5 later, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers, occasionally moderate.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, backing westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5 later, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, occasionally moderate.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, backing westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5 later, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, occasionally moderate.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or southwest, 3 to 5, becoming variable then northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Humber
- Wind
- West or southwest, 3 to 5, becoming variable then northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- West or southwest, 3 to 5, becoming variable then northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable becoming northeasterly later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches for a time in south, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor for a time in south and poor later.
Wight
- Wind
- In east, variable becoming northeasterly later, 2 to 4. In west, variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In east, smooth, occasionally slight. in west, smooth or slight.
- Weather
- In east, fog patches for a time in south, rain later. In west, rain or showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- In east, moderate or good, occasionally very poor for a time in south and poor later. In west, good, occasionally poor later.
Wight
- Wind
- In east, variable becoming northeasterly later, 2 to 4. In west, variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In east, smooth, occasionally slight. in west, smooth or slight.
- Weather
- In east, fog patches for a time in south, rain later. In west, rain or showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- In east, moderate or good, occasionally very poor for a time in south and poor later. In west, good, occasionally poor later.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate later in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Biscay
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest, 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, backing north, 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but moderate occasionally rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Thundery showers in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight east.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming north or northwest, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- West 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Malin
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, occasionally 3.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, occasionally 3.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- West 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 veering westerly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- West or southwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly storm force 10 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- West or southwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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.