Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

New low expected just west of Rockall 997 by 1800 Saturday

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Viking

Wind
Southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind
Southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind
Southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind
Southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind
Southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind
Southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later in northwest.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later in west.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Showers then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough for a time.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, veering westerly later

Wind
Variable 4, becoming west or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Fair then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Wind
Northeasterly 4 to 6, backing northwesterly 3 in north.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough at first in south.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 at first in southeast, otherwise westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind
West or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing southeast 4 to 6 later, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind
West or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind
West 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally moderate later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Wind
West 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Wind
West 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
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.