Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

High Tyne 1026 expected German Bight 1029 by 1800 Wednesday. High FitzRoy 1027 dissipating

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Tue 7 May 2024.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 8 May 2024 to 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 9 May 2024.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northwesterly becoming variable, 2 to 4, then southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly becoming variable, 2 to 4, then southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

South Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 2 to 4 backing southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth at first in southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Variable 4 or less becoming southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: Southeast veering southwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth in southwest and moderate near rattray head.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Forth

Wind: Southeast veering southwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth in southwest and moderate near rattray head.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 4 or less, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 4 or less, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 4 or less, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 4 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Variable 4 or less, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: North or northeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 or 3.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: North or northeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 or 3.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Variable becoming east or northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Variable becoming east or northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor later.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable becoming east or northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, but moderate at first in southwest.
Weather: Fog patches later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor later.

Biscay

Wind: East or northeast 2 to 4, increasing 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 in west, occasionally 7 in southeast, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming slight near portuguese coast, occasionally rough in far southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 in west. In north, southeasterly 3 to 5, but variable 3 or less at first in east.
Sea state: In south, moderate, becoming slight near portuguese coast. in north, moderate, but slight in far east.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Southeasterly 3 to 5, but variable 3 or less at first in east.
Sea state: Moderate, but slight in far east.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Shannon

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but smooth or slight in southeast.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Variable 4 or less, becoming southerly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then rain with fog patches.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate to very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south, veering northwesterly later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair then rain with fog patches.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate to very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7 veering northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 4 or less later.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally 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.