Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Atlantic low 1004 moving eastwards expected Bailey 998 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4, backing southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4, backing southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4, backing southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Wind
- West backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first, otherwise west backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- West backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- West backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- West backing southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Humber
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in west, elsewhere smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in northeast, otherwise easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight in east and northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly, becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later near gibraltar.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in east, decreasing 2 at times later. In north, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough for a time in east. in north, moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in east, decreasing 2 at times later. In north, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough for a time in east. in north, moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight later in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers,.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers,.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers,.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers,.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight at times in east, otherwise moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwest becoming cyclonic 2 to 4, then southwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6, then 6 to gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Faeroes
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first and later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first and later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- 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.