Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
High German Bight 1025 dissipating. New high expected Shannon 1020 by 0600 tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southerly 3 to 5, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly 3 to 5, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly 3 to 5, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Forties
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or good occasionally very poor later.
Cromarty
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or good occasionally very poor later.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fog patches later in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later in west.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Humber
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable, mainly east, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming smooth.
- Weather
- Thundery showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable, mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable, mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable, mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable, mainly east, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches in south.
- Visibility
- Good, but moderate or good occasionally very poor in south.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 4 or 5 for a time in east. In northwest, northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight in east, slight or moderate in west. in northwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, thundery showers, fog patches. In northwest, fog patches, showers later, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 4 or 5 for a time in east. In northwest, northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight in east, slight or moderate in west. in northwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, thundery showers, fog patches. In northwest, fog patches, showers later, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches, showers later, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- 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
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle and fog patches at first, showers later, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good occasionally very poor, becoming good occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- South veering west or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.