Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low southwest of Iceland 993 expected Shannon 991 by midnight tonight. High Baltic sea 1027 slow-moving, filling 1025 by same time

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Sun 12 May 2024.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 12 May 2024 to 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 13 May 2024.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Forth

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 3 or less becoming east or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches, then fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor at first.

German Bight

Wind: East or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches, then fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor at first.

Humber

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches, then fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor at first.

Thames

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, backing south later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, backing south later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, backing south or southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: Northwest backing west or south later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Sat 11 May 2024

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally rough later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: West 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate and later poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate and later poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Wind: West 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Southerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then northeasterly 4 to 6 later in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Southerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then northeasterly 4 to 6 later in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Southerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Southerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly, becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly, becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.

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.