Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
New low expected northwest Shannon 991 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in west.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- West backing south, 3 to 5, increasing 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- West backing south, 3 to 5, increasing 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- In northwest, southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6. In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In northwest, moderate or rough. in southeast, moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- In northwest, rain, fog patches. In southeast, rain.
- Visibility
- In northwest, moderate, occasionally very poor. In southeast, moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- In northwest, southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6. In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In northwest, moderate or rough. in southeast, moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- In northwest, rain, fog patches. In southeast, rain.
- Visibility
- In northwest, moderate, occasionally very poor. In southeast, moderate or good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in far southeast, otherwise northerly or northwesterly, backing southwesterly later in far northwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6. In northwest, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, occasional rain. In northwest, rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good. In northwest, moderate, occasionally very poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6. In northwest, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, occasional rain. In northwest, rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good. In northwest, moderate, occasionally very poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming mainly south or southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming mainly south or southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming mainly south or southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming mainly south or southwest, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Southeast becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Malin
- Wind
- South or southeast, becoming cyclonic for a time, 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in southeast, elsewhere moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- South or southeast, becoming cyclonic for a time, 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southeast 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6, backing southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In east, variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. In west, easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- In east, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later. in west, moderate becoming rough.
- Weather
- In east, rain later. In west, fair then occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally poor later. In west, moderate or good, occasionally poor at first and very poor later.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In east, variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. In west, easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- In east, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later. in west, moderate becoming rough.
- Weather
- In east, rain later. In west, fair then occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally poor later. In west, moderate or good, occasionally poor at first and very poor later.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first and very 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.
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