Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Low Thames losing its identity. High FitzRoy 1026 dissipating
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Variable becoming southerly or southwesterly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable becoming southerly or southwesterly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain or showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Fisher
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable becoming south or southwest, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable becoming south or southwest, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- West or southwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or southwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5 in north, easterly or northeasterly 5 to 7 in south, occasionally gale 8 at first in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first . In northwest, westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far west.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair . In northwest, occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first . In northwest, westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far west.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair . In northwest, occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable becoming southwest, 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches, thundery showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Malin
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- In east, southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time. In west, southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, veering southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate or rough. in west, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In east, rain at times . In west, rain at times.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally poor. In west, moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Faeroes
- Wind
- In east, southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time. In west, southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, veering southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate or rough. in west, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In east, rain at times . In west, rain at times.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally poor. In west, moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
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.