Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
Low north Bailey 977 expected Norwegian Basin 983 by 0600 tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 or 7 at first in north, otherwise southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southwest veering west, 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
German Bight
- Wind
- Southwest veering west, 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
Humber
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first, then increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first, then increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first, then increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Wight
- Wind
- In southeast, southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first, then increasing 7 at times. In northwest, northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then backing westerly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally poor at first. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- In southeast, southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first, then increasing 7 at times. In northwest, northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then backing westerly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally poor at first. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then backing westerly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, then backing westerly later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, but variable 2 to 4 in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast and very rough at first in north.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in south, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far north.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lundy
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in southwest, moderate or rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West, backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in north.
- Sea state
- High at first in far north, otherwise very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Westerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in north, backing southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but westerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Westerly 6 to gale 8, backing southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but westerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Westerly 6 to gale 8, backing southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in south, backing southerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- High at first except in far northwest, otherwise very rough, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time except in southeast.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In south, westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later. In north, cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- In south, rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time. in north, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, squally in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In south, westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later. In north, cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- In south, rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time. in north, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, squally in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally 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.