Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low Bailey 980 expected 300 miles northwest of Iceland 986 by midnight tonight. Low 300 miles west of south FitzRoy 1006 expected south FitzRoy 1011 by same time. New low expected Fastnet 1010 by that time

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 in severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 except in southwest, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 in severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 in severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind
South veering southwest, 5 to 7, then becoming variable 3 or 4.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind
South veering southwest, 5 to 7, then becoming variable 3 or 4.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind
South veering southwest, 5 to 7, then becoming variable 3 or 4.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
South veering southwest, 5 to 7, then becoming variable 3 or 4.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind
South veering southwest, 5 to 7, then becoming variable 3 or 4.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, veering west or southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind
South or southeast 4 to 6, veering west or southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 2 or 3 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 2 or 3 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 2 or 3 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 2 or 3 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 2 or 3 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 2 or 3 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming east 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Mainly fair, but thundery showers in south.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued:

Wind
North or northwest 3 to 4, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6, veering northerly 5 to 7 later in west, perhaps gale 8 later in west.
Sea state
Rough or very rough in northwest, moderate or rough in southeast.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough at first in north.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Malin

Wind
West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough at first in north.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
West or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
West or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale 8 continuing

Wind
Cyclonic becoming westerly, 6 to gale 8, , decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 imminent, veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Cyclonic becoming westerly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Cyclonic becoming westerly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather
Showers.
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.