Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
Low mid-Atlantic 991 moving steadily northeast with little change by 0600 tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less, then southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate occasionally very poor later.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less, then southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate occasionally very poor later.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less, then southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate occasionally very poor later.
Forties
- Wind
- In northeast, northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less, then southeasterly 4 to 6 later. In southwest, southeasterly veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In northeast, slight or moderate. in southwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northeast, rain and fog patches later. In southwest, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In northeast, good, becoming moderate occasionally very poor later. In southwest, good occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- In northeast, northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less, then southeasterly 4 to 6 later. In southwest, southeasterly veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In northeast, slight or moderate. in southwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northeast, rain and fog patches later. In southwest, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In northeast, good, becoming moderate occasionally very poor later. In southwest, good occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Wight
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Portland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- In northwest, southwesterly 3 to 5. In southeast, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In northwest, slight or moderate. in southeast, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northwest, occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches. In southeast, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In southeast, good.
Biscay
- Wind
- In northwest, southwesterly 3 to 5. In southeast, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In northwest, slight or moderate. in southeast, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northwest, occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches. In southeast, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In southeast, good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time, becoming variable 3 or less at times in southeast and northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly 3 to 5. In northwest, southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, but slight at first in east. in northwest, moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good occasionally moderate. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly 3 to 5. In northwest, southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, but slight at first in east. in northwest, moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good occasionally moderate. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches at first in southeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in southeast.
Rockall
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, veering southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, veering southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6. In north, easterly 6 to gale 8, veering southeasterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, rain or showers. In north, rain.
- Visibility
- In south, good occasionally poor. In north, moderate occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6. In north, easterly 6 to gale 8, veering southeasterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, rain or showers. In north, rain.
- Visibility
- In south, good occasionally poor. In north, moderate occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southeast becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southeast becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate 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.
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