Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Low 50 miles west of Sole 1005 expected Shannon 1004 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming east or southeast 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Forth
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Tyne
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later. In south, easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later. In south, easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6 decreasing 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6 decreasing 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6 decreasing 2 to 4, then becoming variable later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in north.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in west.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later in far west.
- Weather
- Fair then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers later in northwest.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later in northwest.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- South or southeast becoming cyclonic mainly southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- South or southeast becoming cyclonic mainly southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly, veering southwesterly later in west, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northeasterly 2 to 4 veering easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- In south, southeasterly 5 or 6 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5. In north, easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6 backing northeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In south, rough becoming moderate. in north, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, then thundery showers in south.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor. In north, moderate or poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- In south, southeasterly 5 or 6 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5. In north, easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6 backing northeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In south, rough becoming moderate. in north, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, then thundery showers in south.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor. In north, moderate or poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- In south, easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6 backing northeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. In north, variable 3 or less becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, then increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate.
- Weather
- In south, rain. In north, rain or showers.
- Visibility
- In south, moderate or poor. In north, moderate or good.
Rockall
- Wind
- In south, easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6 backing northeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. In north, variable 3 or less becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, then increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate.
- Weather
- In south, rain. In north, rain or showers.
- Visibility
- In south, moderate or poor. In north, moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, then increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, then increasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, moderate throughout in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south.
Bailey
- Wind
- In south, variable 3 or less becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, then increasing 5 or 6 later. In north, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- In south, rain or showers. In north, showers.
- Visibility
- In south, moderate or good. In north, good.
Bailey
- Wind
- In south, variable 3 or less becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, then increasing 5 or 6 later. In north, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- In south, rain or showers. In north, showers.
- Visibility
- In south, moderate or good. In north, good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
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.