Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
Atlantic low 958 expected northeast Iceland 966 by 0600 tomorrow. High southeast England 1026 dissipating
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- In west, southerly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6. In east, northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southerly 5 to 7, veering southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In west, rain. In east, rain later.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally poor. In east, good, occasionally poor later.
Viking
- Wind
- In west, southerly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6. In east, northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southerly 5 to 7, veering southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In west, rain. In east, rain later.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally poor. In east, good, occasionally poor later.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southerly 5 to 7, veering southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, northwesterly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5. In west, southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In east, rain later. In west, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally moderate later. In west, good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, northwesterly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5. In west, southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In east, rain later. In west, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally moderate later. In west, good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- In west, southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. In east, northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In west, occasional rain. In east, fair.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally moderate. In east, good.
Dogger
- Wind
- In west, southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. In east, northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In west, occasional rain. In east, fair.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally moderate. In east, good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- In east, northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 4 or 5. In west, variable 4 or less, becoming southerly 4 to 6, veering southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- In east, slight or moderate. in west, slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- In east, northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 4 or 5. In west, variable 4 or less, becoming southerly 4 to 6, veering southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- In east, slight or moderate. in west, slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 4 or less, becoming southerly 4 or 5, veering southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 4 or less, becoming southerly 4 or 5, veering southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in southwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough in southwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in northeast, becoming rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, variable 2 to 4. In north, southwesterly veering northwesterly, 3 to 5, but variable 3 or less at first in northeast.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, becoming rough later in northwest. in north, moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In south, fog patches. In north, rain.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally very poor. In north, good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6 in southeast, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in southeast and slight near shore.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, variable 2 to 4. In north, southwesterly veering northwesterly, 3 to 5, but variable 3 or less at first in northeast.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, becoming rough later in northwest. in north, moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In south, fog patches. In north, rain.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally very poor. In north, good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering northwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in southeast and high in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain, thundery showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- High or very high at first in northwest, elsewhere rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain, thundery showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 later
- Wind
- South gale 8 to storm 10, veering southwest 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in east, otherwise high or very high.
- Weather
- Rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- In east slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, in west moderate or rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing, veering southerly imminent
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southerly or southwesterly, 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming high or very high, but in east rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing, veering southerly imminent
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southerly or southwesterly, 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming high or very high.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- 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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