Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low England1005 expected FitzRoy 1010 by midnight Saturday. Low Biscay 1004 slow moving and filling 1010. Low southern Germany 1002 moving slowly north and filling 1007.

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Fri 17 May 2024.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 17 May 2024 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 18 May 2024.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly veering southerly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly veering southerly, 3 to 5, occasionally variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate until later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 at first, occasionally variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate until later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forth

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Tyne

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dogger

Wind: In west, easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally variable 3 or less. In east, easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate until later.
Weather: In west, fog patches. In east, fair.
Visibility: In west, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In east, moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate until later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

German Bight

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate until later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fog patches, showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Fog patches, showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair, showers later, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair, showers later, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Portland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later in south.
Sea state: Mainly moderate.
Weather: Occasional showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Thu 16 May 2024

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Lundy

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable mainly north, 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable mainly north, 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 until later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 until later, occasionally variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Malin

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 until later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 until later, occasionally variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind: North backing west 3 to 5, then southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time, then cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Faeroes

Wind: Northeast backing west or southwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly northwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times, but variable 3 or less at first in south.
Sea state: Mainly 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.