Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
New low expected Humber 999 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Forties
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, becoming variable then north later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, becoming variable then north later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, becoming variable then north later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, becoming variable then north later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, becoming variable then north later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, veering west or northwest 6 or 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, squally later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate, but poor later.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, veering west or northwest 6 or 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, squally later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate, but poor later.
Portland
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor later.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor later.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, west or northwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7. In south, northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later. in south, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In north, squally showers later. In south, showers.
- Visibility
- In north, good occasionally poor later. In south, good occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, west or northwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7. In south, northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later. in south, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In north, squally showers later. In south, showers.
- Visibility
- In north, good occasionally poor later. In south, good occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly backing northerly 3 to 5. In north, northerly 4 or 5, backing northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In south, slight or moderate. in north, moderate becoming rough.
- Weather
- In south, showers, thundery at first. In north, showers later.
- Visibility
- In south, good occasionally moderate. In north, good occasionally moderate later.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly backing northerly 3 to 5. In north, northerly 4 or 5, backing northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In south, slight or moderate. in north, moderate becoming rough.
- Weather
- In south, showers, thundery at first. In north, showers later.
- Visibility
- In south, good occasionally moderate. In north, good occasionally moderate later.
Sole
- Wind
- Northerly 4 or 5, backing northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate later.
Lundy
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair, then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Fair, then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in south.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Fair then showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, veering north 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, veering north 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 imminent, veering northwesterly later
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, veering north 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then north 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in northwest, slight or moderate in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming northerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but northerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming northerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or 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.