Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
High FitzRoy 1033 expected Sole 1032 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly for a time, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly for a time, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, but 7 at first in far southeast, backing westerly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in far southeast, otherwise moderate becoming mainly slight later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Forties
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less for a time at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, but gale 8 at first in northeast, backing westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in east, otherwise moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, backing westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in east, otherwise moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Humber
- Wind
- South veering west or southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- South veering west or southwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- South veering west or southwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming west or northwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming west or northwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming west or northwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering easterly soon
- Wind
- Mainly northeasterly 3 to 5, but easterly 6 to gale 8 in far southeast and northeasterly 6 to gale 8 at first in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in far northwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southeast. In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southeast. In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times until later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times until later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times until later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwest veering west later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwest veering west later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwest veering west later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in southeast, moderate or rough elsewhere.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwest veering west later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, becoming cyclonic for a time, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate in northwest and later elsewhere.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers until later in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in south.
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.