Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low 400 miles west of Bailey 983 expected Bailey 986 by midnight tonight. High Biscay 1026 dissipating
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- In northeast, cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5 later. In southwest, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In northeast, moderate, occasionally rough at first. in southwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northeast, rain then showers. In southwest, rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- In northeast, cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5 later. In southwest, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In northeast, moderate, occasionally rough at first. in southwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northeast, rain then showers. In southwest, rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5, veering west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle in northwest.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in northwest.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly, becoming cyclonic in east, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in east.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic mainly northeasterly, 3 to 5. In northwest, southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in northwest.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate, occasionally rough in far north.
- Weather
- In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic mainly northeasterly, 3 to 5. In northwest, southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in northwest.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate, occasionally rough in far north.
- Weather
- In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west later, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west later, 5 or 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, squally and thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, squally and thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally 4 in north and gale 8 later in south.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Easterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 until later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- 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.
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