Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
High Sole 1029 expected France 1022 by 0600 tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in east, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in east, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Forties
- Wind
- In northeast, northwesterly becoming cyclonic, 2 to 4. In southwest, variable 2 to 4 becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in southwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northeast, fair then rain. In southwest, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In northeast, good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later. In southwest, moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- In northeast, northwesterly becoming cyclonic, 2 to 4. In southwest, variable 2 to 4 becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in southwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northeast, fair then rain. In southwest, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In northeast, good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later. In southwest, moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in northeast, then becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in northeast, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Humber
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest 3 to 5, but becoming variable 2 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Thames
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest 3 to 5, but becoming variable 2 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, occasionally southwesterly 5 in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, occasionally southwesterly 5 in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, occasionally southwesterly 5 in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Biscay
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- In southeast, easterly becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in far east. In northwest, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in east. in northwest, moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally very poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in southeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in east and smooth in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight in southeast.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later in south.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later in south.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south.
Faeroes
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming easterly 4 to 6 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.
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.