Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
High Forties 1031 expected Fisher 1029 by 1800 Monday.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- West backing south 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southerly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 3 becoming south or southeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 3 becoming south or southeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 3 becoming south or southeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- In northeast, northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. In southwest, northeasterly becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In northeast, slight or moderate. in southwest, smooth or slight.
- Weather
- In northeast, mainly fair. In southwest, rain later.
- Visibility
- In northeast, mainly good. In southwest, moderate or good.
Fisher
- Wind
- In northeast, northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. In southwest, northeasterly becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In northeast, slight or moderate. in southwest, smooth or slight.
- Weather
- In northeast, mainly fair. In southwest, rain later.
- Visibility
- In northeast, mainly good. In southwest, moderate or good.
German Bight
- Wind
- In northwest, northeasterly becoming variable 3 or 4 . In southeast, northeasterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- In northwest, smooth or slight. in southeast, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northwest, rain later. In southeast, rain later.
- Visibility
- In northwest, moderate or good. In southeast, moderate or good.
German Bight
- Wind
- In northwest, northeasterly becoming variable 3 or 4 . In southeast, northeasterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- In northwest, smooth or slight. in southeast, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northwest, rain later. In southeast, rain later.
- Visibility
- In northwest, moderate or good. In southeast, moderate or good.
Humber
- Wind
- East 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Thames
- Wind
- East 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northeast becoming cyclonic 3 or 4, increasing 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4, becoming northeasterly 5 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming north 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Sole
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 or 5 backing north 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first in west.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 or 5 backing north 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 or 5 backing north 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, occasionally thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 3 or 4. In northwest, variable 3 or 4 becoming southwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, smooth or slight. in northwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers. In northwest, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good. In northwest, moderate or good.
Shannon
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 3 or 4. In northwest, variable 3 or 4 becoming southwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, smooth or slight. in northwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers. In northwest, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good. In northwest, moderate or good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming southwesterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming south 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming south 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 backing south or southeast 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming variable 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, backing southerly or southeasterly in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5, backing southerly or southeasterly in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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.