Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low 200 miles west of Sole 1006 expected Cromarty 977 by midnight tonight

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing southeasterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
West 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough occasionally very rough.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Westerly backing southerly, 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough occasionally very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Westerly backing southerly, 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough occasionally very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 expected later

Wind
West backing southeast, 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly storm force 10 expected later

Wind
West backing southeast, 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 expected later

Wind
West backing southeast, 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
West 6 backing southeast 7, veering west or southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
West 6 backing southeast 7, veering west or southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Fisher

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
West 6 backing southeast 7, veering west or southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later, occasionally high later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
West 6 backing southeast 7, veering west or southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
West 6 backing southeast 7, veering west or southwest 7 to severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

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

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind
Southeast becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in northwest.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued:

Wind
Variable 3 in far northwest, otherwise northeasterly 4, but 5 to 7 in far southeast.
Sea state
Moderate occasionally rough.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
In south, cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north. In north, southwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 5 later.
Sea state
In south, rough. in north, rough or very rough, occasionally high in north.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southwest veering west, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, veering west 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in west.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, veering west 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later, veering west 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Variable 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 in far southeast.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southwest 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
West 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind
West 4 to 6, becoming variable 4 for a time.
Sea state
Very rough becoming rough.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing southeasterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
West 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8, backing westerly imminent

Wind
West 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally 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.

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