Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low Rockall 967 expected 100 miles west of Shannon 973 by midnight tonight. New low expected northwest Hebrides 977 by same time. Lows Tyne 972 and Shannon 971 losing their identities

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in east and 4 in west.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind
Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind
In east, southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times. In west, cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
In east, rain or showers. In west, showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7 backing south or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Very rough becoming rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued:

Wind
Cyclonic, becoming westerly or southwesterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in far south and 4 elsewhere.
Sea state
Rough or very rough in east, very rough throughout in west.
Weather
Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7 backing south or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Very rough, becoming rough except in northwest.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly later, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in west.
Sea state
Very rough, becoming rough in east.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state
Very rough at first in far south, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in south, slight or moderate in north.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing northeasterly imminent

Wind
Northeasterly 6 to gale 8 until later in northwest, otherwise cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Northeasterly 6 to gale 8 until later in northwest, otherwise cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, but becoming high for a time in northwest.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 in southeast.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Wind
Northeasterly 6 to gale 8 at first in northwest, otherwise southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in southeast, rough or very rough in northwest.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly severe gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
In southeast, northeasterly 6 to gale 8 veering southeasterly 4 to 6. In northwest, northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
In southeast, rough or very rough, becoming high for a time. in northwest, rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather
In southeast, rain or showers. In northwest, sleet or snow at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 imminent, increasing storm force 10 later

Wind
Northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather
Sleet or snow at times.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

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.

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