Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Low Bailey 1002 expected 300 miles east of Iceland 1004 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Sun 27 Apr 2025.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 27 Apr 2025 to 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 28 Apr 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, veering southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, veering southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly 3 to 5 veering southerly 4 to 6, then southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forties

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, veering southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, veering southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, veering southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 2 at first in southeast, otherwise southerly veering southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Variable becoming south or southwest, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

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

Dover

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

Wight

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

Portland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, increasing 5 in southwest.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers at first in southeast.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Sat 26 Apr 2025

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, veering easterly 5 to 7 later in far southeast, perhaps gale 8 later in far southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In southeast, cyclonic, becoming southeasterly later, 4 to 6. In northwest, southwesterly backing southeasterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Southwesterly backing southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Southwest, backing southeast later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fastnet

Wind: South or southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Rough at first in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first and very poor later.

Irish Sea

Wind: South or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first and very poor later.

Shannon

Wind: South 5 or 6.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Southwest or cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: Southwest or cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Southwest or cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming west or southwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: South 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic mainly southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, moderate or rough in northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers, fog patches in north.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south and very poor in north.

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.