Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low Humber 996 expected Viking 989 by 1800 Thursday. Atlantic low moving rapidly east expected Sole 976 by same time. Lows Fair Isle 991 and Southeast Iceland 991 losing their identities

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but westerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, becoming southwest 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, becoming southwest 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing south later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing south 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing south 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing southwesterly soon

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing south 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing southerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather
Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing storm force 10 later

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high occasionally very high later.
Weather
Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 expected later

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high occasionally very high later.
Weather
Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later in north.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly violent storm force 11 expected later

Wind
In south, southwesterly 5, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9. In north, westerly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 mainly later.
Sea state
In south, rough or very rough, occasionally high later in north. in north, rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high, then high or very high later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
In south, good, occasionally poor. In north, moderate or poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly violent storm force 11 expected later

Wind
In south, southwesterly 5, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9. In north, westerly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 mainly later.
Sea state
In south, rough or very rough, occasionally high later in north. in north, rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high, then high or very high later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
In south, good, occasionally poor. In north, moderate or poor.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing violent storm force 11 later

Wind
Westerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 mainly later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high, then high or very high later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing southwesterly imminent

Wind
West becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times.
Sea state
Rough or very rough occasionally moderate.
Weather
Showers then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing storm force 10 later

Wind
West becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times, increasing gale 8 to storm 10 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough occasionally moderate, becoming high later in southwest.
Weather
Showers then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind
West 4 to 6, backing east 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but northerly violent storm force 11 expected later

Wind
West becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, increasing severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later in south.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind
West becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind
West becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally moderate in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind
West becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally moderate in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind
West becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in east.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southwesterly 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southwesterly 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
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.

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.

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