Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
High north FitzRoy 1031 expected Sole 1029 by 0600 tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 4 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 4 to 6. In west, southwesterly 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- In east, slight or moderate. in west, slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- In east, rain then showers. In west, showers.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally poor. In west, moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 4 to 6. In west, southwesterly 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- In east, slight or moderate. in west, slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- In east, rain then showers. In west, showers.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally poor. In west, moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, veering northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- West or southwest veering northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first, and 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or southwest veering northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Humber
- Wind
- West or southwest veering west or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- West or southwest veering west or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest veering west or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest veering west or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Easterly 6 to gale 8 in far southeast, otherwise northeasterly 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 to 4 in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate, except in far southeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, easterly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north and 3 in south. In north, easterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in north.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, easterly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north and 3 in south. In north, easterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in north.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in north.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Malin
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwest, veering northwest for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast and rough at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Faeroes
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- 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.