Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midday

High Humber 1029 dissipating

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Wind
South 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate later.

North Utsire

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind
South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair, then occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind
South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in east, smooth or slight in west.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind
South or southwest, backing southeast later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind
South or southwest, backing southeast later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair, then occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind
Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind
Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind
Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind
East or northeast 3 or 4, decreasing 2 at times.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind
East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, then decreasing 2 at times.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Wight

Wind
East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, then decreasing 2 at times.
Sea state
Smooth or slight in southeast, slight or moderate in northwest.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Portland

Wind
East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, then decreasing 2 at times.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Plymouth

Wind
East or northeast, veering southeast later, 3 or 4, decreasing 2 at times.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Biscay

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued:

Wind
Variable 4 in far southeast, otherwise northerly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Wind
In southeast, northerly mainly 3 to 5, but 6 at first in far southeast, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. In northwest, variable 2 to 4 in east, elsewhere southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, but veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later in west.
Sea state
Mainly rough, but very rough at first in far northwest.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
In southeast, good, occasionally moderate. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 in east, elsewhere southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, but veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later in west.
Sea state
Very rough at first in west, otherwise rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind
Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight in north and rough in south.
Weather
Occasional rain and fog patches in east, mainly fair in west.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in east.

Fastnet

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in east.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in far west.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good.

Irish Sea

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in east.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
High at first in far northwest, otherwise very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
Sea state
High at first except in far south, otherwise very rough.
Weather
Squally wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in southeast, but in northwest, very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, then becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Southwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 or 5, backing southerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
High, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or 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.