Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
New high expected Biscay 1030 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southerly backing southeasterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly backing southeasterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly backing southeasterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, backing south, then veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first, then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, backing south, then veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, backing south, then veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, backing south, then veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4, backing south, then veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first, then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- West 3 or 4, backing south or southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- West 3 or 4, backing south or southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- West 3 or 4, backing south or southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- West 3 or 4, backing southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- West 3 or 4, backing southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, or very poor later.
Biscay
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5 at first in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 4 or 5 in far southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight near shore.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in north.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In far southeast, easterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, elsewhere northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In north, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough. in north, moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, occasional drizzle, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In north, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough. in north, moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, occasional drizzle, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, fog patches developing later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, or very poor later.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, fog patches developing later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, or very poor later.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far south.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, fog patches developing later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, or very poor later.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- South veering west or southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate at first, becoming very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- South veering west or southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southeast, veering west or southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southeast, veering west or southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly, 3 to 5, then veering westerly 5 or 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in south.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly, 3 to 5, then veering westerly 5 or 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in south.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, but northerly or northwesterly in north, then becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, but slight near iceland, occasionally rough at first in far northeast.
- 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.