Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

Low 100 miles northeast of Iceland 973 losing its identity

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

South Utsire

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Forties

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Cromarty

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Forth

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Tyne

Wind
West or southwest, veering northwest for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Dogger

Wind
West or southwest, veering northwest for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Fisher

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state
Rough becoming moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

German Bight

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Humber

Wind
West or southwest veering northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight occasionally moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Thames

Wind
West or southwest veering northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight occasionally moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Dover

Wind
West or southwest veering northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight occasionally moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Wight

Wind
Northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough until later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Portland

Wind
Northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Plymouth

Wind
Northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Biscay

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Trafalgar

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in south, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers, then occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers, then occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers, then occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Fastnet

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Irish Sea

Wind
West or northwest, backing southwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Shannon

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Rockall

Wind
West 4 to 6, backing southwest 6 or 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Malin

Wind
Northwest 5 to 7, backing west 4 to 6, then south or southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough, then rough later.
Weather
Showers, squally at first, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent

Wind
Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, backing west 4 to 6, then south or southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough, then rough later.
Weather
Showers, squally at first, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind
West 6 or 7, decreasing 4 or 5, becoming cyclonic 6 or 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
High at first in far east, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers, squally at first, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering westerly soon

Wind
West or northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing south or southwest later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Wintry showers, squally at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent

Wind
West or northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing south or southwest later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Wintry showers, squally at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, becoming easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Very rough becoming rough, occasionally moderate near iceland.
Weather
Wintry showers, squally at times.
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.

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.