Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
New low expected Viking 999 by midday tomorrow. High Biscay 1025 dissipating
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 late.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate, then moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later, then northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later, then northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, veering west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, veering west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, veering southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest veering west later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest veering west later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, veering northerly 5 to 7 later. In northwest, southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, fog patches at first, otherwise rain, showers later. In northwest, rain then showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good, but very poor at first. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6 in south, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches in far east.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor in far east.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, veering northerly 5 to 7 later. In northwest, southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, fog patches at first, otherwise rain, showers later. In northwest, rain then showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good, but very poor at first. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, veering west or northwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, thundery showers later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, veering northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, veering northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches, then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally poor, but very poor at first.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches, then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally poor, but very poor at first.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest and slight in southeast.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.