Coast and Sea
Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
New low expected just west of Bailey 1000 by 0600 tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 in southwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight at times.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight until later in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in east, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or northwest, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, veering west later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, veering west later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, veering west later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- West 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- West 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in north.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less in far southeast, elsewhere northerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in far southeast, elsewhere moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In north, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally slight in north and rough in south. in north, slight, occasionally moderate later in northwest.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, showers or drizzle.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In north, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally slight in north and rough in south. in north, slight, occasionally moderate later in northwest.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, showers or drizzle.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest veering west, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough at times.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Malin
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southeast becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southeast becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
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.