Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midday

Low just north of Southeast Iceland 959 expected 150 miles northeast of Iceland 953 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent, backing southerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, backing south 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale 9 later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in north.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale 9 later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southwest 5 or 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southwest 5 or 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, then rough or very rough later.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Fisher

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5 increasing 5 to 7, then 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5 increasing 5 to 7, then 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5 increasing 5 to 7, then 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5 increasing 5 to 7, then 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
West 4 to 6, backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
West 4 to 6, backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
West 4 to 6, backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
West 4 to 6, backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind
Northwesterly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued:

Wind
North or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate in far southeast, otherwise rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
In south, northwesterly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. In north, southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
In south, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later. in north, rough or very rough.
Weather
In south, showers. In north, occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 or gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 or gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 or gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later in southwest.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally very high later in northwest.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 increasing storm force 10 later

Wind
Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming high or very high later.
Weather
Rain or squally showers, wintry later.
Visibility
Moderate, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8, increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Rain or squally showers, wintry later.
Visibility
Moderate, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly imminent

Wind
Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Rain or squally showers, wintry later.
Visibility
Moderate, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly imminent

Wind
In south, southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 7 to severe gale 9. In north, southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
In south, very rough or high, becoming high or very high later. in north, very rough or high.
Weather
In south, rain or squally showers, wintry later. In north, showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly imminent

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally rough in southeast.
Weather
Rain or squally showers, wintry later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Rain or squally showers, wintry later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state
Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Wintry 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.

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