Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

Low 100 miles east of Iceland 977 expected Norwegian Sea 996 by 1800 Saturday. High 450 miles north of Azores 1037 expected just west of FitzRoy 1040 by same time

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest, veering northwest later, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Wind
Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind
Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
West or southwest 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
West or southwest 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
West or southwest 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good.

Tyne

Wind
West, veering northwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good.

Dogger

Wind
West, veering northwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good.

Fisher

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Thames

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Dover

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Wight

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Portland

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Plymouth

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Biscay

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 at first in south, otherwise northerly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in northwest.
Weather
Occasional rain at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Trafalgar

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Northeasterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 in far southeast.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
In south, northeasterly 6 to gale 8. In north, northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
In south, rough or very rough. in north, rough or very rough.
Weather
In south, showers. In north, showers.
Visibility
In south, good. In north, good occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind
In east, northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. In west, northwesterly, backing southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
In east, rough or very rough. in west, very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather
In east, showers. In west, showers.
Visibility
In east, good occasionally moderate. In west, good occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Fastnet

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in southwest.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Irish Sea

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Shannon

Wind
Northwest, backing southwest, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather
Showers then fair.
Visibility
Good.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Storm force 10 veering northwesterly and decreasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Northwest, backing southwest later, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first.
Sea state
High or very high, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Squally wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering northwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
Northwest, backing southwest later, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
High or very high, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Squally wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering northwesterly imminent and increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind
Northwest, backing southwest later, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first.
Sea state
High or very high, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Squally wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Northwest, backing southwest later, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first.
Sea state
High or very high, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Squally wintry showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering westerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southwest, veering northwest, 7 to severe gale 9, then backing west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
High or very high, becoming very rough later.
Weather
Thundery showers, fair later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering northwesterly imminent

Wind
Northwesterly, backing southerly or southeasterly later, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
High or very high, becoming very rough, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Squally wintry showers, sleet later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering northwesterly imminent, increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind
Northwesterly, backing southerly or southeasterly later, 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first.
Sea state
High or very high, becoming very rough, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Squally wintry showers, sleet later.
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.