Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
High FitzRoy 1023 expected Shannon 1020 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- West or northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in east, decreasing 2 or 3 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far east.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight in east, smooth or slight in west.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwesterly mainly 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in northeast, becoming variable 2 or 3 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in northeast, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in far northeast, becoming variable 2 or 3 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight in west.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 at first, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 at first, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 at first, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 at first, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 at first, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in northeast, slight or moderate in southwest.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5. In south, variable 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate. in south, slight.
- Weather
- In north, fog patches. In south, thundery showers.
- Visibility
- In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In south, good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5. In south, variable 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate. in south, slight.
- Weather
- In north, fog patches. In south, thundery showers.
- Visibility
- In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In south, good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 in central area, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, occasionally westerly 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, occasionally westerly 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in north and east, slight or moderate in south and west.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in northwest, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 in northwest, variable 2 to 4 in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in northwest, slight or moderate in southeast.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 in northwest, variable 2 to 4 in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in northwest, slight or moderate in southeast.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, becoming 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.