Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low Hebrides 965 expected north of Faeroes 966 by midnight tonight. New low expected FitzRoy 997 by same time

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly violent storm force 11 decreasing storm force 10 soon

Wind
South or southeast severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, decreasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in north, and occasionally rough later.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly violent storm force 11 decreasing storm force 10 imminent

Wind
Southeasterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, decreasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Snow turnng to rain.
Visibility
Poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly violent storm force 11 decreasing storm force 10 imminent

Wind
Southeasterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, decreasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Snow turnng to rain.
Visibility
Poor.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Storm force 10 veering southerly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
South 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in north, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
South 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
South 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Tyne

Wind
South 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
South 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Fisher

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
Southeast 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Snow turning to rain.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

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

Wind
South or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Snow turning to rain.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Humber

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

Thames

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

Dover

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

Wight

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

Portland

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

Plymouth

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough in northwest, moderate or rough in southeast.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Forecast issued:

Wind
Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in northwest.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in southeast, rough or very rough in northwest.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
Southwesterly becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in southeast.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind
Southwest, becoming cyclonic later, 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind
Southwest 5 or 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind
Southwest 5 or 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Wind
Southwest veering northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Very rough, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

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

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly violent storm force 11 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind
Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, becoming west 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high in northwest.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

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

Wind
Northwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Storm force 10 veering southerly imminent

Wind
South gale 8 to storm 10, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather
Rain at times.
Visibility
Moderate, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Storm force 10 backing northerly soon

Wind
Northerly gale 8 to storm 10, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Rain or sleet.
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.