Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
New low moving rather quickly east, expected south Sweden 995 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- In north, westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. In south, variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In north, moderate or rough. in south, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- In north, rain or showers. In south, rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- In north, westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. In south, variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In north, moderate or rough. in south, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- In north, rain or showers. In south, rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming west or northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming west or northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming west or northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest, 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest, 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Southwest veering west or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest veering west or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest veering west or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest veering west or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Portland
- Wind
- West or southwest veering west or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or southwest veering west or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, veering north 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in far northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 in far southeast, otherwise northerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northwesterly, veering northeasterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast. In north, northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate occasionally slight. in north, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northwesterly, veering northeasterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast. In north, northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate occasionally slight. in north, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lundy
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in far southwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in south and west, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest, backing west or southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northwest, backing west or southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Northwest, backing west or southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly backing westerly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northwesterly backing westerly, 3 to 5. In north, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, rain or showers. In north, rain later.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor. In north, good, occasionally moderate later.
Bailey
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northwesterly backing westerly, 3 to 5. In north, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, rain or showers. In north, rain later.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor. In north, good, occasionally moderate later.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4, perhaps gale 8 later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in northeast, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 in southwest, otherwise northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in east.
- 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.