Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
High Plymouth 1033 expected Thames 1031 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6, veering westerly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6, veering westerly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Forties
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 4 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6, becoming variable 4 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 4 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 4 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 4 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4..
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Rain later, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4..
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but occasionally moderate at first in northeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, variable 2 to 4. In south, easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate. in south, moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- In north, occasional drizzle, fog patches at first. In south, fair.
- Visibility
- In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first. In south, good.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, variable 2 to 4. In south, easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate. in south, moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- In north, occasional drizzle, fog patches at first. In south, fair.
- Visibility
- In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first. In south, good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southeast, elsewhere easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in far southeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, but fog patches in southeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in southeast.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough later in west.
- Weather
- Drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- South 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 2 or 3 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Squally rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but moderate occasionally slight in southeast.
- Weather
- Drizzle and fog patches, then squally rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Drizzle and fog patches, then squally rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches, then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
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.