Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at midnight

High Rockall 1028 expected Forth 1033 by midnight tonight. Low South Utsire 1013 loses its identity by same time.

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Sat 20 Apr 2024.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 20 Apr 2024 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 21 Apr 2024.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 15:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Apr 2024

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 veering northerly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Apr 2024

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Apr 2024

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 15:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Apr 2024

Gale force 8 veering northerly later

Wind: Northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair, rain later.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair, rain later.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair, rain later.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Fri 19 Apr 2024

Northerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: North 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, veering northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Apr 2024

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic mainly northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later, veering northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, increasing very rough at times in east, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Fri 19 Apr 2024

Northerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Cyclonic mainly northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later, veering northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, increasing very rough at times in east, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Sat 20 Apr 2024

Gale force 8 veering northerly imminent

Wind: North 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Sat 20 Apr 2024

Northerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: North 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: East northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: East northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: East northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Fri 19 Apr 2024

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, but 5 to 7 near strait of gibraltar until later, becoming mainly north 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first near strait of gibraltar.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Sat 20 Apr 2024

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, but 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later near northwest spain.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in far southeast.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind: East 3 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: East 3 to 4, occasionally variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: East 3 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: East veering southeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Fair but occasional later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Malin

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Hebrides

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough later in northwest.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: North 4 or 5 at first in east, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate, occasionally slight in south.
Weather: Fair, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: 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.