Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midday

Low 400 miles west of Bailey 971 expected west of Iceland 975 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first and very rough later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
In east, southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8. In west, southeasterly, veering westerly, 4 to 6.
Sea state
In east, moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first and very rough later. in west, slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind
Southeasterly 3 to 5, veering westerly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind
Southeasterly 3 to 5, veering westerly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind
Southeasterly 3 to 5, veering westerly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind
Southeasterly, veering westerly, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind
Southeast 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

German Bight

Wind
Southeast 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Humber

Wind
Southeast 3 to 5, veering west 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight, occasionally moderate in northeast.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind
Variable becoming southwest, 2 to 4, then west 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind
Variable becoming southwest, 2 to 4, then west 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind
Variable becoming southwest, 2 to 4, then west 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind
Variable 4 or less, becoming northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Plymouth

Wind
Variable 4 or less, becoming northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in northeast.
Weather
Fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Biscay

Wind
Variable 4 or less, becoming northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly severe gale force 9 veering northeasterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Forecast issued:

Wind
Cyclonic, 3 to 5 in east but 6 to gale 8 in west, occasionally severe gale 9 in west.
Sea state
Rough or very rough in east, very rough or high in west.
Weather
Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 7, perhaps gale 8 later, in south.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in far northwest.
Weather
Thundery showers, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Sole

Wind
West or northwest, backing southwest, 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Lundy

Wind
West or northwest, backing southwest, 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
Weather
Rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Fastnet

Wind
West or northwest, backing southwest, 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first, becoming rough or very rough in southwest.
Weather
Rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Irish Sea

Wind
Southwest 2 to 4, veering west 4 to 6.
Sea state
Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, veering west 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering westerly later

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, but slight or moderate in southeast, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 continuing, veering southwesterly imminent

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Very rough becoming high.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Southerly 6 to gale 8, but 4 to 6 in east, veering southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Southerly 6 to gale 8, veering southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Southerly 6 to gale 8, veering southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Very rough, becoming high in southwest.
Weather
Squally showers.
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.