Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings


The general synopsis at midday

New low expected Norway 986 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map


Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Northerly 4 or 5, then increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Northerly 4 or 5, then increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

South Utsire

Wind
Northerly 3 to 5, backing northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Forties

Wind
Northerly 3 to 5, backing northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind
North 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind
North 3 to 5, backing northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
North 3 to 5, backing northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind
North 3 to 5, backing northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind
North 3 to 5, backing northwest 4 to 6 later, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind
North 3 to 5, backing northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind
Cyclonic becoming north or northwest, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind
Cyclonic becoming north or northwest, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind
West 5 or 6, veering northwest 4 or 5, then north 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind
West 5 or 6, veering northwest 4 or 5, then north 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind
Northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Plymouth

Wind
Northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Biscay

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Trafalgar

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Wind
North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate at first in south, otherwise rough, occasionally very rough at first in north.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Sole

Wind
Northwest 5 or 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Lundy

Wind
North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Fastnet

Wind
North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in southwest.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Irish Sea

Wind
Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later in east.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind
North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Very rough becoming rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Wind
North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 4 at times later.
Sea state
Very rough becoming rough, becoming moderate later in north.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind
North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Hebrides

Wind
North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Bailey

Wind
Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in east.
Sea state
Very rough at first in far southeast, elsewhere rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind
North 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Faeroes

Wind
North 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Northerly 4 or 5 in east, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, but rough at first in south.
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.