Coast and sea
The general synopsis at midday
Atlantic high 1028 expected Irish Sea 1031 by midday tomorrow. Low Norwegian Basin 1004 moving steadily south and losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
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Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 veering northerly and decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, becoming north 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northerly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northerly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northerly later
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in east, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in east, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
German Bight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Humber
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, veering north 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, veering north 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Northwesterly veering northeasterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northwesterly veering northeasterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- In northeast, northwesterly veering northeasterly, 3 to 5. In southwest, easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- In northeast, good. In southwest, good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 expected soon
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Variable 3 to 4, but increasing easterly 6 to gale 8 near straight of gibraltar.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, but cyclonic 5 to 7 in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in central.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- Northwest veering northeast, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Northwest veering northeast, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northwest veering northeast, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 4 or less, becoming southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Variable 4 or less, becoming southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Malin
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable, becoming southwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Variable, becoming southwest, 2 to 4, increasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- Variable, becoming southwest, 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected imminent
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8 becoming variable 2 to 4, then southerly 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Wintry showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northerly at first in east, otherwise southeasterly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, but rough at first in east.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor, but very poor later.
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.