Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
High Germany 1030 slow moving with little change 1031 by 1800 Thursday. New low expected northwest Shannon 1003 by same time.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers until later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers until later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers until later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers until later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers until later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers until later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fisher
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Humber
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable becoming east or southeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable becoming east or southeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable becoming east or southeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4, becoming southeasterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4, becoming southeasterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- In south, in west, easterly 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less, in east, easterly 5 to 7. In north, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough at first. in north, moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- In south, showers in west. In north, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- In south, in west, easterly 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less, in east, easterly 5 to 7. In north, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough at first. in north, moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- In south, showers in west. In north, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 3 or 4. In northwest, southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, occasionally rough at first. in northwest, rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers . In northwest, rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good. In northwest, moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 3 or 4. In northwest, southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, occasionally rough at first. in northwest, rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers . In northwest, rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good. In northwest, moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later. In east, southerly or southwesterly backing southeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- In west, rough, occasionally very rough at first. in east, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In west, rain. In east, rain at first.
- Visibility
- In west, moderate or good. In east, moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later. In east, southerly or southwesterly backing southeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- In west, rough, occasionally very rough at first. in east, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In west, rain. In east, rain at first.
- Visibility
- In west, moderate or good. In east, moderate or good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly backing southeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly backing southeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly backing southeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, backing south or southeast 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, backing south or southeast 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6, backing south or southeast, 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming very rough.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwest backing south or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southerly or southeasterly, 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough for a time at first.
- Weather
- Fair, then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first, becoming southerly or southeasterly, 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough for a time at first.
- Weather
- Fair, then rain.
- Visibility
- 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.