Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
High Sole 1027, expected Thames 1023 by 1800 Thursday
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Wind
- Northwest becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in northeast, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in southwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- In east, northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in north. In west, variable 3 or less, becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- In east, good. In west, good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- In east, northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in north. In west, variable 3 or less, becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- In east, good. In west, good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In east, cyclonic mainly easterly or northeasterly veering southerly or southeasterly later, 3 to 5. In west, cyclonic mainly southerly or southeasterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In east, slight or moderate. in west.
- Weather
- In east, showers. In west, thundery showers.
- Visibility
- In east, good. In west, good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In east, cyclonic mainly easterly or northeasterly veering southerly or southeasterly later, 3 to 5. In west, cyclonic mainly southerly or southeasterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In east, slight or moderate. in west.
- Weather
- In east, showers. In west, thundery showers.
- Visibility
- In east, good. In west, good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, cyclonic mainly southerly or southeasterly, 4 to 6. In east, variable becoming easterly or southeasterly later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate, occasionally rough. in east, smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- In west, thundery showers. In east, fair.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally poor. In east, good.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, cyclonic mainly southerly or southeasterly, 4 to 6. In east, variable becoming easterly or southeasterly later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate, occasionally rough. in east, smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- In west, thundery showers. In east, fair.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally poor. In east, good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable becoming easterly or southeasterly later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable becoming easterly or southeasterly later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less at first in south, otherwise southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in east, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in east, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic often southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic often southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first.
- 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.