Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
High German Bight 1034 slow-moving with little change by midday tomorrow. New low expected northwestern Scotland 1027 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, smooth or slight in west.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in northeast, smooth or slight in southwest.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Humber
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Thames
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Dover
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in southeast, slight or moderate in northwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in northwest, slight or moderate in southeast.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4 backing northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In northwest, cyclonic 2 to 4 becoming northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, rain, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally poor. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Trafalgar (issued 00:15 UTC)
- Wind
- In south, in east, easterly 5 to 7, in west, variable 3 or less . In north, variable becoming mainly easterly or northeasterly later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4 backing northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In northwest, cyclonic 2 to 4 becoming northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, rain, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally poor. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, cyclonic 2 to 4 becoming northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In east, southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- In west, rough. in east, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In west, rain, fog patches at first. In east, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in west.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, cyclonic 2 to 4 becoming northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In east, southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- In west, rough. in east, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In west, rain, fog patches at first. In east, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in west.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming north or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in east.
Rockall
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 or 5 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Mainly rough, but very rough at first in far north and moderate later in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Malin
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in west and north, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- South 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in far west, otherwise moderate or rough, but becoming slight or moderate in southeast.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7 becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in south, otherwise rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
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.