Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low Sole 957 expected northeast England 971 by midnight tonight. Low Bristol Channel 971 losing its identity by same time. New low expected Rockall 971 by that time.

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Viking

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 4 or 5. Becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in northwest.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 4 or 5. Becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 4 or 5. Becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Forties

Wind
East or southeast becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind
East or southeast becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind
East or southeast becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind
East or southeast becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind
East or southeast becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind
East or southeast becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7 becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7 becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7 becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7 becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally rough at first and again later.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 now veering southwesterly

Wind
Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally rough at first and again later.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected soon, increasing storm force 10 later

Wind
Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming very high for a time.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon, then increasing storm force 10 later

Wind
Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming very high for a time.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued:

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 imminent

Wind
Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 decreasing 5 to 7.
Sea state
High or very high, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Storm force 10 backing southwesterly soon

Wind
Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 decreasing 5 to 7.
Sea state
High or very high, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased, but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, then backing northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind
Southeast becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far south.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 now backed northeasterly and decreased gale force 8

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Malin

Wind
Southeasterly 5 or 6 becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly storm force 10 now decreased severe gale force 9, decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
In south, southeasterly 5 or 6 becoming cyclonic 5 to 7. In north, cyclonic gale 8 or severe gale 9, becoming northeasterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
In south, rough or very rough. in north, very rough or high, occasionally rough later.
Weather
In south, rain or showers. In north, rain or showers.
Visibility
In south, moderate or good. In north, moderate or good.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly storm force 10 continuing

Wind
Cyclonic gale 8 or severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, becoming northeasterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased, but northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southeast 5 or 6 becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 becoming northeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly storm force 10 continuing

Wind
Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 becoming northeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
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.