Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
Low 200 miles north of Faeroes 997 expected 250 miles northeast of Faeroes with little change by 0600 tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
German Bight
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or northwesterly 2 to 4. In north, variable becoming mainly westerly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- In south, showers, perhaps thundery. In north, showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor. In north, good.
German Bight
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or northwesterly 2 to 4. In north, variable becoming mainly westerly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- In south, showers, perhaps thundery. In north, showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor. In north, good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable becoming mainly westerly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- North 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later in east.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- North or northwest veering northeast, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally variable 2 or 3 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south. In northwest, variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south. In northwest, variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight in east, moderate in west.
- Weather
- Fair, then rain in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in west.
Lundy
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in east, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later in southwest.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Malin
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- In south, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times. In north, cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- In south, showers. In north, fair.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally moderate. In north, good.
Bailey
- Wind
- In south, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times. In north, cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- In south, showers. In north, fair.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally moderate. In north, good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in south and rough in far north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 in southwest, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
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.