Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Low Bailey 999 expected Malin with little change by midday tomorrow. New low expected Fisher 998 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in northwest and 2 elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 2.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 2.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 2.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 2.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Thames
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 for a time in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, or very poor in south.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic 4 to 6. In north, westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In south, slight or moderate. in north, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- In south, moderate or good. In north, good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic 4 to 6. In north, westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In south, slight or moderate. in north, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- In south, moderate or good. In north, good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough in north and west.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In south, southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times. In north, cyclonic becoming northeasterly, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, but occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- In south, rain or thundery showers. In north, rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In south, southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times. In north, cyclonic becoming northeasterly, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, but occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- In south, rain or thundery showers. In north, rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northeasterly, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, but occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly backing northeasterly, 5 to 7, occasionally 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly backing northeasterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
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.
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