Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midday

Low Lundy 963 loses its identity by midday tomorrow. New low Fair Isle 975 expected by same time. Low northern Ireland 967 expected just west of Shannon 969 by that time.

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in utsires.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

North Utsire

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in utsires.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

South Utsire

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, but variable 3 or less at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in utsires.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Forties

Wind
East or southeast becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times, becoming south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind
East or southeast becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming south later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind
East or southeast becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming south later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming south 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming moderate or rough, then slight or moderate later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time, becoming south 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming moderate or rough, then slight or moderate later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind
West or southwest, 3 to 5, backing south or southwest, 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 now backed southerly

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind
South or southwest 7 or gale 8, decreasing 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 decreasing gale 8 imminent

Wind
South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, decreasing 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwest storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent then gale force 8 soon

Wind
South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather
Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

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:

Southwest storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent then gale force 8 soon

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times in the west, occasionally 4 later in the south.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Sole

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Lundy

Wind
West or northwest backing south or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally slight later in east.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Fastnet

Wind
West or northwest backing south or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Irish Sea

Wind
Cyclonic becoming south or southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far south.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Shannon

Wind
Cyclonic becoming south or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Easterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Malin

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in southeast.
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
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in south.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high 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
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in south.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in south.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly severe gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
East or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps increasing storm 10 at times later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeast severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon then increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
East or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps increasing storm 10 at times later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high 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.

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