Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 0600

Low Dogger 1000 expected German Bight 999 by 0600 Friday. New low expected Fastnet 999 by same time. Atlantic low 1008 expected close to northwest FitzRoy 999 by that time.

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Thu 25 Apr 2024.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Thu 25 Apr 2024 to 12:00 (UTC) on Fri 26 Apr 2024.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight to moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight to moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight to moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forties

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers or occasionally rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers or occasionally rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers or occasionally rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers or occasionally rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers or occasionally rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, veering northwest 3 or 4, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, smooth in the estuary.
Weather: Showers or occasionally rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Showers or occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers or occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Showers or occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 at times in southwest.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming mainly moderate later, occasionally rough later in southwest.
Weather: Showers or occasionally rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: West or northwest 2 to 4, increasing 5 at times.
Sea state: Slight, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
Weather: Showers or occasionally rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Wed 24 Apr 2024

Wind: Northwesterly, backing southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally variable 3 or less later in east.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Showers or occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Showers or occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: West or northwest 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic then mainly east or northeast later.
Sea state: Mainly slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers or occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: West or northwest 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic then mainly east or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Mainly slight, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers or occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: North or northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then northeast later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7 at first, otherwise north or northeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Malin

Wind: North or northeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: North or northeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind: North or northeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Wind: East or northeast, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: 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.