Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
High moving slowly east expected 350 miles west of Shannon 1030 by midnight tonight. Low moving steadily east expected 150 miles west of FitzRoy 996 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally very rough later in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Humber
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- North or northwest, veering northeast later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- North or northwest, veering northeast later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- North or northwest, veering northeast later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- North or northwest, veering northeast later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, backing southerly or southwesterly later in northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east and later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in far southeast and rough at first in far northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southwest, northerly 3 to 5, veering easterly or northeasterly, but southeasterly in far southwest, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or perhaps gale 8 later in far west. In northeast, northerly or northwesterly veering northeasterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- In southwest, moderate occasionally rough. in northeast, moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- In southwest, showers, then occasional rain in west, perhaps thundery later in far west. In northeast, showers.
- Visibility
- In southwest, good, occasionally poor in west. In northeast, good, occasionally moderate at first.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southwest, northerly 3 to 5, veering easterly or northeasterly, but southeasterly in far southwest, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or perhaps gale 8 later in far west. In northeast, northerly or northwesterly veering northeasterly, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- In southwest, moderate occasionally rough. in northeast, moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- In southwest, showers, then occasional rain in west, perhaps thundery later in far west. In northeast, showers.
- Visibility
- In southwest, good, occasionally poor in west. In northeast, good, occasionally moderate at first.
Sole
- Wind
- North, veering northeast later, 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- North, veering northeast later, 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- North, veering northeast later, 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times in east.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- North veering northeast, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Rockall
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Bailey
- Wind
- North or northwest, backing west later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing westerly or southwesterly in west and later in east, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far east.
- Weather
- Drizzle or showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle 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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