Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings


The general synopsis at 1800

New low expected just west of Southeast Iceland 1013 by 1800 Saturday

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map


Viking

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Forties

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state
Elsewhere smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state
Elsewhere smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind
North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, thundery later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind
North or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in southwest.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5 for a time.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind
North backing northwest at times, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Plymouth

Wind
North backing northwest at times, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Biscay

Wind
Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north, but variable 2 to 4 at times in south.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Wind
Mainly north 4 to 6, occasionally in northeast, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 in far southeast.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but slight in far southeast.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Wind
Northerly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 in far southeast, decreasing 2 or 3 in far northwest.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in north, moderate or rough in south.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Sole

Wind
North or northwest 3 to 5. Occasionally variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Lundy

Wind
North or northwest 3 to 5. Occasionally variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth until later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Fastnet

Wind
North or northwest 3 to 5. Occasionally variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth until later in north.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Irish Sea

Wind
North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Shannon

Wind
Northwesterly backing southwesterly later in west, 3 to 5, occasionally 2 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight at first and later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Rockall

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly backing southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic mainly southerly, 4 or 5 later in west.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Malin

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Mainly moderate, slight in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Hebrides

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Mainly moderate, slight in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Bailey

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Mainly moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Fair Isle

Wind
West or southwest, veering west or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind
West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, but northerly 5 or 6 at first in northeast.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
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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