Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings


The general synopsis at 1800

High 450 miles west of Shannon 1027 expected east Sole 1026 by 1800 Thursday. Low southeast Fair Isle 1001 losing its identity

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map


Viking

Wind
Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery rain, then showers, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

North Utsire

Wind
Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery rain, then showers, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

South Utsire

Wind
Southwesterly 3 to 5 veering northwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in east.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery rain, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery rain, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Cromarty

Wind
West or northwest 6 or 7 decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Forth

Wind
West or northwest 6 or 7 decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Tyne

Wind
West or northwest 6 or 7 decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Dogger

Wind
West or northwest 6 or 7 decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first.

Fisher

Wind
Southwesterly veering northwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in northeast.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind
Southwesterly veering northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time in northeast.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Wight

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Portland

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Plymouth

Wind
West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Biscay

Wind
North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Trafalgar

Wind
Northerly 4 to 6 in east but variable 2 to 4 in west.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 except in northeast.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming slight in northeast.
Weather
Thundery rain in west.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor in west.

Sole

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 5 later in southwest.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming slight in east.
Weather
Rain later in west.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later in west.

Lundy

Wind
Northwest 3 to 5, backing west or southwest 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Fastnet

Wind
Northwest 3 to 5, backing west or southwest 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Irish Sea

Wind
Northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing west or southwest 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Shannon

Wind
Northwest backing south or southwest, 2 to 4.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in east, moderate throughout in west.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Rockall

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind
Northwest backing west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind
Northwest backing west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind
North 5 to 7 backing northwest 3 to 5, then backing southwest later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Wind
Northwest backing southwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, then rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Fair then rain, fog patches in north.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north.

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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