Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
Low Rockall 998 expected Dogger 1000 by 0600 tomorrow. Low German Bight 999 moving away east-northeastwards
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- West or southwest, backing south for a time, 3 or 4 increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 or 5 increasing 6 or 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time later, then veering west 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 or 5 increasing 6 or 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time later, then veering west 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 or 5 increasing 6 or 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time later, then veering west 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in west.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time. In south, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in far northwest.
- Weather
- In north, thundery showers. In south, showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in north.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time. In south, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in far northwest.
- Weather
- In north, thundery showers. In south, showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in north.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, decreasing 2 at times later. In north, westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7 veering northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- In south, showers. In north, thundery showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north, decreasing 2 at times later. In north, westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7 veering northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- In south, showers. In north, thundery showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7 veering northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in south.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in south.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south, becoming northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in north.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough at first in south, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Rockall
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming west or northwest, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming west or northwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming west or northwest, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
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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