Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low Forties 993 expected losing its identity

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming northwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather
Sleet.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

North Utsire

Wind
Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 5 to 7, then northwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather
Sleet.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

South Utsire

Wind
Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 5 to 7, then northwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather
Sleet.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Sleet.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Sleet.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering east 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough for a time.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering east 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough for a time.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Dover

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6, veering east or southeast, 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6, veering east or southeast, 5 to 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6, veering east or southeast, 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6, veering east or southeast, 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind
West 4 to 6, occasionally 7 until later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic becoming southwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Sole

Wind
Cyclonic becoming southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased, but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased, but southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
East or northeast 4 to 6, veering southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
East or northeast 4 to 6, veering southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased, but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased, but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
North 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, moderate later in south.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind
Northwest veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Northwesterly veering northeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later in far west.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Snow showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally very poor. Light icing in west.

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.