Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

New low expected southwest Bailey 990 by 1800 Friday. High Trafalgar 1030 expected south Biscay 1032 by same time. Low Hebrides 995 losing its identity

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in northeast, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain or sleet.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain or sleet.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southerly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or sleet.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind
South 6 or 7, veering southwest, then west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind
South 6 or 7, veering southwest, then west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather
Occasional rain, or sleet in east.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind
South or southeast 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain or snow.
Visibility
Moderate occasionally very poor. Light icing in east.

German Bight

Wind
South or southeast 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain or snow.
Visibility
Moderate occasionally very poor. Light icing in east.

Humber

Wind
Cyclonic becoming southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional sleet then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind
Cyclonic becoming southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional sleet then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6 backing southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6 backing southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6 backing southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6 backing southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind
West 4 to 6.
Sea state
Very rough becoming mainly rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Wind
Northeasterly 4 or 5 in southeast, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally moderate in southeast and very rough at first in north.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in northwest, becoming variable 4 in far south.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Southwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Very rough.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, backing southwesterly later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later in south.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in east.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Wintry 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.

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.