Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
High Sole 1022 expected Wales 1020 by midnight tonight. Low 225 miles northeast of Faeroes 998 moving away slowly northeastwards
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Forth
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5 increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Tyne
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Dogger
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight until later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- In north, westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5. In south, westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In north, moderate, occasionally slight until later. in south, slight.
- Weather
- In north, showers. In south, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- In north, westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5. In south, westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In north, moderate, occasionally slight until later. in south, slight.
- Weather
- In north, showers. In south, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable becoming northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable becoming northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, veering northeasterly later, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, veering northeasterly later, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, veering northeasterly later, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- North or northeast, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times. In northwest, southeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 in west.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate. in northwest, moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, rain in west.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally poor in west.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, occasionally variable 3 or less in far southeast and far west.
- Sea state
- Slight in far southeast, otherwise moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times. In northwest, southeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 in west.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate. in northwest, moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, rain in west.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally poor in west.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, southeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 in west. In east, variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate, occasionally rough. in east, mainly slight.
- Weather
- In west, rain in west. In east, showers at first.
- Visibility
- In west, moderate or good, occasionally poor in west. In east, good.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, southeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 in west. In east, variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate, occasionally rough. in east, mainly slight.
- Weather
- In west, rain in west. In east, showers at first.
- Visibility
- In west, moderate or good, occasionally poor in west. In east, good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West or southwest, 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers in north until later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east 4 to 6, then cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough later in west.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Malin
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in southeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 later in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- In east, northerly or northwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 for a time. In west, variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate or rough. in west, moderate, occasionally slight near iceland.
- Weather
- In east, rain or showers. In west, fair.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally moderate. In west, good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- In east, northerly or northwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 for a time. In west, variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate or rough. In west, moderate, occasionally slight near iceland.
- Weather
- In east, rain or showers. In west, fair.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally moderate. In west, good.
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.
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