Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

High Thames 1029 expected Humber 1025 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Thu 9 May 2024.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Thu 9 May 2024 to 12:00 (UTC) on Fri 10 May 2024.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northwest veering southeast later, 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally slight.
Weather: Rain and fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally slight.
Weather: Rain and fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally slight.
Weather: Rain and fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: West or southwest, backing south later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fog patches, occasional rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Cromarty

Wind: West or southwest, backing south later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fog patches, occasional rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Forth

Wind: West or southwest, backing south later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: West or southwest, backing south later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: West or southwest, backing south later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly becoming variable later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first in north.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly becoming variable later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair, fog patches later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor later.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: East 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: East 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: East 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: East 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: East 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Wed 8 May 2024

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly later, but easterly 6 to gale 8 in southeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly, 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less at times in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly, 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less at times in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair, occasional fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair, occasional fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair, occasional fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Shannon

Wind: Southeast veering south 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly, veering southeasterly for a time, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Mainly moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly, veering southeasterly for a time, 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less for a time.
Sea state: Mainly moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: In south, southerly or southwesterly, veering southeasterly for a time, 4 to 6. In north, southeasterly 3 to 5, veering southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In south, mainly moderate. in north, moderate.
Weather: In south, occasional rain . In north, rain, fog patches.
Visibility: In south, good, occasionally moderate. In north, good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: Southeasterly 3 to 5, veering southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 to 6, then veering south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 to 6, then veering south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southeasterly becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain or drizzle.
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.