Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

High Norwegian Basin 1028 dissipating

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Fri 25 Apr 2025.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Fri 25 Apr 2025 to 12:00 (UTC) on Sat 26 Apr 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Easterly 4 to 6 at first in south, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Variable becoming southerly or southeasterly, 2 to 4, increasing 5 later in northwest.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Forth

Wind: South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 3.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming southeasterly 4 in northwest.
Sea state: Slight in southwest, slight or moderate in northeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate becoming slight, then becoming smooth later in east.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate until later in northwest, otherwise smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly, veering southeasterly in west, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southwest, but elsewhere slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly backing northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Thu 24 Apr 2025

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic becoming westerly or northwesterly, then backing southwesterly later in west, 3 to 5,.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first in east.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic becoming westerly or northwesterly, then backing southwesterly later in west, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in west.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first in east.

Lundy

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in northeast, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southeast 4 to 6 veering south 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Rain, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Shannon

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7 veering south 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Hebrides

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7 veering south 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Bailey

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7 veering south 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southeast 4 to 6, veering south later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, elsewhere moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor except in east.

Faeroes

Wind: Southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, veering south later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.