Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
High just west of Rockall 1033 expected Faeroes with little change by midnight tonight. Low Spain 1008 expected France with little change by same time. New low expected south FitzRoy 1010 by that time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate, but slight in far west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly 6 or 7, decreasing 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming slight later in far east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, northerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first. In west, northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in west.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate. in west, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In east, fair. In west, fair.
- Visibility
- In east, good. In west, good, occasionally moderate at first.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, northerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first. In west, northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in west.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate. in west, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In east, fair. In west, fair.
- Visibility
- In east, good. In west, good, occasionally moderate at first.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northeasterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Forth
- Wind
- Northeasterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Tyne
- Wind
- Northeasterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Dogger
- Wind
- In west, northeasterly 2 to 4. In east, northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In west, slight or moderate. in east, moderate.
- Weather
- In west, fair. In east, fair.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally moderate at first. In east, good.
Dogger
- Wind
- In west, northeasterly 2 to 4. In east, northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In west, slight or moderate. in east, moderate.
- Weather
- In west, fair. In east, fair.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally moderate at first. In east, good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, veering north 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later in far east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northerly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 later in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in far southeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first in southwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Northeast 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Northeast 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- East, becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far north.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 5 later in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in far east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far north.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in far north.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- Northeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Wind
- In southeast, northeasterly 4 to 6. In northwest, northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, occasionally slight later. in northwest, slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, fair.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good occasionally moderate. In northwest, good.
Rockall
- Wind
- In southeast, northeasterly 4 to 6. In northwest, northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, occasionally slight later. in northwest, slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, fair.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good occasionally moderate. In northwest, good.
Malin
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- In southeast, easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4. In northwest, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight, occasionally moderate at first. in northwest, slight.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, fair.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- In southeast, easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4. In northwest, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight, occasionally moderate at first. in northwest, slight.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, fair.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good.
Bailey
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight. in northwest, moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, fair.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good.
Bailey
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight. in northwest, moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, fair.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight, occasionally moderate at first. in northwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, showers later.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate later.
Faeroes
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight, occasionally moderate at first. in northwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, showers later.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate later.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 in far north.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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.
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