Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
High FitzRoy 1024 dissipating
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 2 to 4, then southerly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 2 to 4, then southerly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, backing southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in west and rough later in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northwest 5 or 6, backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- West 2 to 4, backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- West 2 to 4, backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- West 2 to 4, backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West 2 to 4, backing southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northerly becoming variable, 2 to 4, then southwesterly 4 to 6 in northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, veering northeasterly in northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly in northwest. In northwest, variable 4 or less at first in southeast, otherwise southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, occasionally rough at first and slight later. in northwest, moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly in northwest. In northwest, variable 4 or less at first in southeast, otherwise southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, occasionally rough at first and slight later. in northwest, moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In west, southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 4 or 5. In east, westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In west, rain. In east, showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally poor. In east, good, occasionally poor later.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In west, southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 4 or 5. In east, westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In west, rain. In east, showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally poor. In east, good, occasionally poor later.
Lundy
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- South 6 to gale 8 veering west 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- South 6 to gale 8 veering west 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 5 to 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 5 to 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 5 to 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3, backing southeasterly, veering southwesterly later, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southeasterly, veering southwesterly later, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southeasterly, veering southwesterly later, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then 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.