Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings


The general synopsis at 0600

Low Fair Isle 984 expected Humber 1002 by 0600 tomorrow. Low north Biscay 1006 moving rather quickly northeast, losing its identity

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map


Viking

Wind
Southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind
Southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind
Southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but moderate occasionally rough later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later, becoming northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later, becoming northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later, becoming northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later, becoming northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later, becoming northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind
Southwest becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind
Southwest becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, veering west or northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain then squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, veering west or northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain then squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected imminent

Wind
Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Squally rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, becoming good.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected imminent

Wind
Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Squally rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, becoming good.

Portland

Wind
Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Squally rain then showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, becoming good.

Plymouth

Wind
Northwest 5 or 6, decreasing 4 or 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming moderate occasionally slight later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, becoming northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)

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

Wind
In southeast, cyclonic becoming northerly 4 to 6. In northwest, northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later, then becoming variable later.
Sea state
In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate or rough.
Weather
In southeast, rain at first. In northwest, showers.
Visibility
In southeast, good, occasionally poor at first. In northwest, good.

FitzRoy

Wind
In southeast, cyclonic becoming northerly 4 to 6. In northwest, northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later, then becoming variable later.
Sea state
In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate or rough.
Weather
In southeast, rain at first. In northwest, showers.
Visibility
In southeast, good, occasionally poor at first. In northwest, good.

Sole

Wind
Northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later, then becoming variable later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Lundy

Wind
Northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Fastnet

Wind
Northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Irish Sea

Wind
Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northeast.
Weather
Showers, squally at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Shannon

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Rockall

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly later

Wind
Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather
Showers, squally at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather
Showers, squally at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Bailey

Wind
Northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Fair Isle

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming northerly 4 to 6, backing westerly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but very rough at first in southwest, becoming moderate occasionally slight later.
Weather
Showers, squally at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Faeroes

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming northerly 4 to 6, backing westerly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but very rough at first in southwest, becoming moderate occasionally slight later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Northerly backing southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
Weather
Showers later.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate later.

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.

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