Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low 550 miles west of Portugal 1012 expected southwest FitzRoy 1000 by midnight tonight. Low east Biscay 1007 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Variable becoming easterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in far north.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Variable becoming easterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable becoming easterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- East 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- East 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly, backing northeasterly for a time, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- In north, easterly or southeasterly, backing northeasterly for a time, 3 or 4, occasionally 5. In south, easterly, veering southeasterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In north, slight, occasionally smooth in east and moderate in west. in south, slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- In north, easterly or southeasterly, backing northeasterly for a time, 3 or 4, occasionally 5. In south, easterly, veering southeasterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In north, slight, occasionally smooth in east and moderate in west. in south, slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Easterly, veering southeasterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, then veering southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Dover
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, then veering southeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers later, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Wight
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, backing easterly later in south, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in east.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northwesterly becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming cyclonic 5 or 6 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in far northwest.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, then rain or thundery showers in northwest.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in north.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later except in northeast, perhaps gale 8 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east, becoming rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, variable 3 or less, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later. In east, easterly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate. in east, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally poor. In east, good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, variable 3 or less, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later. In east, easterly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate. in east, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally poor. In east, good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.
Lundy
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming east or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southeast, backing east later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Malin
- Wind
- Southeast, backing east later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate in northwest, slight or moderate in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southeast, backing east later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southeast, backing east later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in northwest, otherwise moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in southeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in northwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Mainly southerly 3 to 5, but variable 3 or less in far west.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, 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.