Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Low Bailey 975 expected Forties 994 by 1800 Tuesday
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later, then becoming northerly 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. In west, southwesterly 5 to 7 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In east, thundery rain or showers. In west, squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. In west, southwesterly 5 to 7 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In east, thundery rain or showers. In west, squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- In west, southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. In east, southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- In west, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later. in east, moderate.
- Weather
- In west, rain then squally showers. In east, rain, then squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- In west, southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. In east, southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- In west, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later. in east, moderate.
- Weather
- In west, rain then squally showers. In east, rain, then squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, then squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, then squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Southwest, veering northwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, then squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest, veering northwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, then showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest, veering northwest later, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, then showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
Wight
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then becoming northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
Portland
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then becoming northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then becoming northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
Biscay
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5 veering northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Cyclonic at first in southeast, otherwise northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, becoming northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly soon
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly later
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later except in southeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 veering northwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 later
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in north, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 veering northwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming north 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first and 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in west, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 veering northerly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming north 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first and 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in south, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northerly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 3 to 5, then backing southwesterly later.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming rough, then moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
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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