Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low Faeroes 994 expected 350 miles east of Iceland 997 by midnight tonight. New low expected northeast Rockall 1006 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- In northwest, southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later. In southeast, southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In northwest, moderate, becoming slight later in south. in southeast, moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northwest, showers. In southeast, occasional rain, perhaps thundery, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In northwest, good. In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Viking
- Wind
- In northwest, southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later. In southeast, southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In northwest, moderate, becoming slight later in south. in southeast, moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northwest, showers. In southeast, occasional rain, perhaps thundery, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In northwest, good. In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, perhaps thundery, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, perhaps thundery, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in northeast, otherwise slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in northeast, otherwise slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in north, otherwise slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Humber
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in south.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable becoming northwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Variable becoming northwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable becoming northwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first in northwest.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- West or southwest, veering northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West or southwest, veering northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West or southwest, veering northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
Shannon
- Wind
- West or southwest, veering northwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- In south, southwesterly 3 to 5 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. In north, northerly 3 to 5 backing northwesterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate. in north, rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- In south, rain or showers, perhaps thundery later. In north, showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor. In north, good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Wind
- In south, southwesterly 3 to 5 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. In north, northerly 3 to 5 backing northwesterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate. in north, rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- In south, rain or showers, perhaps thundery later. In north, showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor. In north, good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5 backing northwesterly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, then veering westerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in north, then becoming slight in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8 becoming west or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northerly backing northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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.
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