Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
New high expected Rockall 1033 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in northeast.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 then north or northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 then north or northwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- South or southwest, becoming variable, then becoming northeast later, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable, but mainly southeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable, but mainly southeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Cyclonic but easterly or southeasterly until later in north, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 continue
- Wind
- Easterly 6 to gale 8 in far southeast and variable 3 in far northeast, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in far southeast.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming north or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming north or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming north or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5, but variable 3 or 4 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in northwest, otherwise moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- In north, westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or 4 later. In south, variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- In north, rough, becoming moderate later. in south, moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- In north, mainly fair . In south, rain and fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- In north, good. In south, good, occasionally very poor at first.
Rockall
- Wind
- In north, westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or 4 later. In south, variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- In north, rough, becoming moderate later. in south, moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- In north, mainly fair . In south, rain and fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- In north, good. In south, good, occasionally very poor at first.
Malin
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor at first.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwest veering west, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first in south, otherwise fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor at first in south.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwest veering west, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough at first, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwest veering west, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwesterly, veering westerly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly, veering westerly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- 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.