Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
Low northwest Ireland 1002 expected orkney 1000 by 0600 tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 except in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Thundery rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Forth
- Wind
- South or southeast veering southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- South or southeast veering southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- South or southeast veering southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6, veering southerly 3 to 5, then southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- In north, southerly 3 to 5, veering southwesterly 4 to 6 later. In south, variable 3 or 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate. in south, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In north, thundery showers, fog patches. In south, thundery showers.
- Visibility
- In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In south, good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- In north, southerly 3 to 5, veering southwesterly 4 to 6 later. In south, variable 3 or 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate. in south, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In north, thundery showers, fog patches. In south, thundery showers.
- Visibility
- In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In south, good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 4 to 6, but variable 3 or 4 in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in far northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, veering west or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, veering west or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight, then rough later in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, veering west or southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- North or northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate until later in east, otherwise moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
- Weather
- Thundery rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time in south.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, backing northerly later
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming northerly 4 to 6 later. In northwest, variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time in south. in northwest, moderate, occasionally slight in north.
- Weather
- In southeast, rain. In northwest, showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally poor. In northwest, good.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, backing northerly later
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming northerly 4 to 6 later. In northwest, variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time in south. in northwest, moderate, occasionally slight in north.
- Weather
- In southeast, rain. In northwest, showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally poor. In northwest, good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northeasterly, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate at first in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches later in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but very poor later in east.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northeast 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in far south, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
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.