Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
Low 250 miles northeast of Iceland 990, slow-moving, filling 995 by 0600 tomorrow. New high expected Dogger 1027 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 in northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Forties
- Wind
- In north, westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5. In south, westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate. in south, slight, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- In north, showers, fog patches for a time. In south, fair.
- Visibility
- In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In south, good.
Forties
- Wind
- In north, westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5. In south, westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate. in south, slight, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- In north, showers, fog patches for a time. In south, fair.
- Visibility
- In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In south, good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or northwest, becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable, becoming east, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest, becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest, becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable, becoming northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable, becoming northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable, becoming northeast later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable, becoming east or northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches, thundery showers in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic mainly northerly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast. In northwest, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, showers, thundery later in west, fog patches in east.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor in east.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5. In northwest, easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, fog patches. In northwest, showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In northwest, good occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5. In northwest, easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, fog patches. In northwest, showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In northwest, good occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming easterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first in west.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight later in southeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- 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.