Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

Low Shannon 968 expected Rockall 976 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind
In southwest, southeast 7 to severe gale 9. In northeast, southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state
In southwest, very rough or high. in northeast, rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather
In southwest, occasional rain. In northeast, fair.
Visibility
In southwest, poor. In northeast, good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind
Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind
Southeasterly gale 8 to storm 10.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high in west.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind
East or southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind
East or southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
East or southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Very rough or high in northeast, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
East or southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
East or southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning
Issued:

Easterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind
East or southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
East or southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
South or southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
South or southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, veering west or southwest later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southeast veering west or southwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in west.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southwest veering west, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Forecast issued:

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 veering northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming high later in north.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering northwesterly and increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind
Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, becoming northwest 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in west.
Weather
Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility
Poor.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 becoming northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times, but occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times, but occasionally gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering southeasterly imminent

Wind
Southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 backing northwesterly imminent

Wind
Cyclonic becoming northwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in south.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in southwest.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering southeasterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 now veered southeasterly

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough at first in southeast, otherwise rough or very rough, occasionally high later in north.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic in southwest.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in east.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
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.