Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings


The general synopsis at midnight

Low Fastnet 989 losing its identity by midnight tonight. New low 994 expected Rockall by same time

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map


Viking

Wind
Southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind
Southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind
Southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Forties

Wind
Southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind
Southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind
Southeasterly veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind
Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind
Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind
South or southeast, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind
South or southeast veering west later in southwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, veering west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South 4 to 6, veering southwest 6 to gale 8, then west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South 4 to 6, veering southwest 6 to gale 8, then west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough until later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South 4 to 6, veering southwest 6 to gale 8, then west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough until later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
West or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering westerly later

Wind
West or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 now veered westerly

Wind
West 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in far northwest.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Trafalgar

Wind
North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain, then fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Westerly 6 to gale 8. Backing southwesterly, but northerly in southeast, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind
Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, becoming southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, veering westerly later

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

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

Irish Sea

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic then southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in south.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
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.