Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low South Utsire 988 expected Fisher 995 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 now backed northwesterly and decreased gale force 8
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly mainly 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in west and occasionally variable 3 in east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor becoming moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Fisher
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, decreasing 2 or 3 in northeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming westerly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- In northeast, northwesterly 4 to 6. In southwest, northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- In northeast, northwesterly 4 to 6. In southwest, northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in northeast, smooth or slight in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- In northeast, slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight, but in southwest, moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- North or northwest backing west, 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in southwest, otherwise moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in south, moderate or rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later in southwest.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 now backed northwesterly
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In east, northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6. In west, northerly 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- In east, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later. in west, moderate.
- Weather
- In east, occasional rain or showers. In west, showers.
- Visibility
- In east, moderate or good. In west, good.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In east, northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6. In west, northerly 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- In east, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later. in west, moderate.
- Weather
- In east, occasional rain or showers. In west, showers.
- Visibility
- In east, moderate or good. In west, good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in northwest.
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.