Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
High German Bight 1028 expected southeast Denmark 1030 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southerly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Forth
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Tyne
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, backing south 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- East 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth at first in east, becoming slight or moderate later in northwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, but becoming variable 3 or less in west and in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5. In northwest, southerly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5. In northwest, southerly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, southerly 3 to 5. In east, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate. in east, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In west, showers, perhaps thundery. In east, fair.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally moderate. In east, good, occasionally moderate later.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, southerly 3 to 5. In east, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate. in east, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In west, showers, perhaps thundery. In east, fair.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally moderate. In east, good, occasionally moderate later.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in northeast, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, veering south 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain, perhaps thundery, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6, veering south 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, perhaps thundery, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Malin
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6, veering south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in southeast, otherwise moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but very poor later.
Hebrides
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6, veering south or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, otherwise moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but very poor later.
Bailey
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, veering southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southerly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, then moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, then moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very 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.
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.