Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midday

Low Shannon 992 expected south Norway 980 by midday tomorrow.

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southerly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic, then northwesterly later, 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later, becoming westerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high for a time later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southerly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic, then northwesterly later, 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later, becoming westerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southerly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic, then northwesterly later, 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later, becoming westerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high for a time later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10, becoming west 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high for a time later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly storm force 10 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10, becoming west 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10, becoming west 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10, becoming west 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10, becoming west 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate.

Fisher

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10, becoming west 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming rough or very rough, but very rough or high for a time.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, becoming west 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, becoming west 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Mainly good.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Mainly good.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Mainly good.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Mainly good.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Mainly good.

Biscay

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued:

Wind
Variable 3 in far northwest, otherwise northeasterly 4, but 5 to 7 in far southeast.
Sea state
Moderate occasionally rough.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 at first north, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first in south, and high at first in north.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 veering westerly gale force 8 soon

Wind
South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, veering west 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, veering west 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in west, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, veering west 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 veering southwesterly storm force 10 soon

Wind
South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 for a time, veering west 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly severe gale force 9 veering northwesterly gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, becoming west 5 to 7, backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming rough later.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind
Cyclonic becoming west 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic becoming west 5 to 7, but 7 to severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south, backing westerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic, mainly west 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 backing northerly severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time, becoming westerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming westerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming westerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or 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.