Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings


The general synopsis at midday

Low Shannon 995, expected southwest Norwegian Sea 972 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map


Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon, increasing storm force 10 later

Wind
Southeasterly 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough, then high for a time in north.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon, increasing storm force 10 later

Wind
Southeasterly 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough, then high for a time in north.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southeasterly 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in northeast.
Weather
Rain, squally showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain, squally showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain, squally showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain, squally showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain, squally showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain, squally showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind
South, veering west later, 5 to 7.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind
South, veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind
South, veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind
South, veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind
Southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind
Southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind
Southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind
Southwesterly, veering northerly or northeasterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate in south, moderate or rough in north.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
In southeast, southwesterly, veering northerly or northeasterly later, 3 to 5. In northwest, southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
In southeast, moderate in south, moderate or rough in north. in northwest, rough occasionally very rough.
Weather
In southeast, occasional rain. In northwest, rain, showers later.
Visibility
In southeast, good, occasionally moderate. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
In southeast, southwesterly, veering northerly or northeasterly later, 3 to 5. In northwest, southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
In southeast, moderate in south, moderate or rough in north. in northwest, rough occasionally very rough.
Weather
In southeast, occasional rain. In northwest, rain, showers later.
Visibility
In southeast, good, occasionally moderate. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough occasionally very rough.
Weather
Rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain, squally showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Cyclonic becoming southwest, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain then squally showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic becoming southwest, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain then squally showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic becoming southwest, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain then squally showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain then squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain then squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic, mainly southerly, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time in northwest, becoming southwesterly later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain, squally showers later.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later, becoming southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain, fog patches, squally showers later.
Visibility
Moderate occasionally very poor, becoming good occasionally poor later.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming westerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
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.

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