Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Low Ireland 999 moving steadily east and losing its identity by 1800 Monday. New lows expected Faeroes 1001 and 75 miles west of Bailey 1002 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly 4 or 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, then northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, then northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, then northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, then northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, then northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, then northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- South veering west or southwest, then veering northwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- South veering west or southwest, then veering northwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6, then veering northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6, then veering northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6, then veering northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, veering northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, veering northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in south.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, southwesterly 5 to 7, veering northwesterly 3 to 5. In south, westerly 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- In north, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in north. in south, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In north, showers, thundery at first. In south, showers.
- Visibility
- In north, good, occasionally poor at first. In south, good.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, southwesterly 5 to 7, veering northwesterly 3 to 5. In south, westerly 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- In north, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in north. in south, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In north, showers, thundery at first. In south, showers.
- Visibility
- In north, good, occasionally poor at first. In south, good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northerly 4 to 6, but becoming variable 3 or less at times in far southeast and in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in far southeast, becoming rough at times later in south.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in far southeast, becoming variable 3 or less later in northwest. In north, westerly veering northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, but rough at first in north. in north, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in far southeast, becoming variable 3 or less later in northwest. In north, westerly veering northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, but rough at first in north. in north, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Lundy
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Westerly veering northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming northwest 4 to 6, backing west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Malin
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in east, otherwise moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less at first in south, otherwise cyclonic becoming northwesterly, backing southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- East or northeast becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- East or northeast becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- 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.
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