Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
Atlantic low 1003 moving rather quickly northeast, expected Rockall 1012 by 0600 tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing south 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, backing south 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, backing south 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing south or southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing south or southeast 3 or 4 later, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing south or southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing south or southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing south or southeast 3 or 4 later, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, backing south or southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable, mainly southwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable, mainly southwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate at first in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwesterly 3 to 5 in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 in far southeast, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly 5 to 7. In northwest, southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in far west.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly 5 to 7. In northwest, southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in far west.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in far west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate occasionally rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate, but poor later.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate, but poor later.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or good occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming moderate later, but slight or moderate in southeast.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- 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.