Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Low Viking 994 expected northern Sweden 988 by 1800 Wednesday
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in far north, backing westerly 3 to 5 later, then backing southerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in far north, backing westerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later. In west, northwesterly, backing southerly or southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate or rough. in west, slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in west.
- Weather
- In east, thundery showers. In west, showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- In east, good occasionally poor. In west, good occasionally poor at first.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later. In west, northwesterly, backing southerly or southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate or rough. in west, slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in west.
- Weather
- In east, thundery showers. In west, showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- In east, good occasionally poor. In west, good occasionally poor at first.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing southerly or southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor at first.
Forth
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing southerly or southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor at first.
Tyne
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing southerly or southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor at first.
Dogger
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing southerly or southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor at first.
Fisher
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate elsewhere.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate elsewhere.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate elsewhere.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Northwest backing west later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Northwest backing west later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Northwest backing west later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northwest backing west later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in far southeast, elsewhere moderate becoming rough, occasionally very rough later in north.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly 5 to 7. In north, northwesterly backing westerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, showers . In north, showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly 5 to 7. In north, northwesterly backing westerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, showers . In north, showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing westerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing westerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing westerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight for a time in north.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, backing west or southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally very rough later in far northwest.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest, then veering west later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest, then veering west later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest, then veering west later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4, becoming south, then veering southwest later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate at first, becoming very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Northwest backing south or southwest later, 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4 for a time, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, then veering southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, then veering southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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.
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