Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Low southeast Cromarty 994 moving steadily southeastwards and losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 or 4 increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough for a time later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Forties
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 at first in east, otherwise northwesterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Forth
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Tyne
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Dogger
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 at first in northeast, otherwise northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in west, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5 veering northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5 veering northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
Humber
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Squally showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
Thames
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Squally showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
Dover
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 decreasing 3 or 4, backing west or southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 decreasing 3 or 4, backing west or southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 decreasing 3 or 4, backing west or southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 decreasing 3 or 4, backing west or southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in southwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, becoming fair later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, veering northeasterly in northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 in north. In northwest, northerly or northwesterly becoming variable, 2 to 4, then becoming southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers. In northwest, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later in northwest.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 in north. In northwest, northerly or northwesterly becoming variable, 2 to 4, then becoming southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers. In northwest, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later in northwest.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, northerly or northwesterly becoming variable, 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later. In east, northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- In west, rain later. In east, showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later in west.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, northerly or northwesterly becoming variable, 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later. In east, northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- In west, rain later. In east, showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later in west.
Lundy
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest 3 to 5, then backing south 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate or rough, then occasionally very rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest 3 to 5, then backing south 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Malin
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 backing southwest 3 to 5, then south 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 backing southwest 3 to 5, then south 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 backing southwest 3 to 5, then south 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 backing west or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 backing west or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight near iceland.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
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.