Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Low Rockall 981 expected Fair Isle 982 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Forties
- Wind
- Southeast veering south, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, smooth or slight in west.
- Weather
- Rain then thundery showers, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Forth
- Wind
- South or southeast veering southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- South or southeast veering southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- South or southeast veering southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- South veering southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- South veering southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, southwesterly veering westerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. In south, westerly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In north, rough or very rough. in south, moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In north, squally showers. In south, rain then showers.
- Visibility
- In north, good, occasionally poor. In south, moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, southwesterly veering westerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. In south, westerly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In north, rough or very rough. in south, moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In north, squally showers. In south, rain then showers.
- Visibility
- In north, good, occasionally poor. In south, moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- In south, westerly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6. In north, westerly or southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough. in north, rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In south, rain then showers. In north, squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- In south, westerly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6. In north, westerly or southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough. in north, rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In south, rain then showers. In north, squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in north.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high in southwest.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, squally or thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly soon
- Wind
- West or northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming west or northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in north, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northwesterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northwesterly 5 to 7 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, then becoming very rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- 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.
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.