Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

High Baltic 1032 slow-moving and slight decline 1031 by 0000 Saturday. Low Trafalgar 1009 slow moving and filling 1011 by same time.

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Fri 20 Sep 2024.

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

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable becoming mainly easterly or northeasterly, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Drizzle and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable becoming mainly easterly or northeasterly, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Drizzle and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Variable becoming mainly easterly or northeasterly, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Drizzle and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: East or southeast veering northeast later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth until later.
Weather: Drizzle and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: East or southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Drizzle and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forth

Wind: East or northeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Drizzle and fog patches until later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Tyne

Wind: East or northeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle and fog patches until later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dogger

Wind: East or northeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle and fog patches until later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind: East or northeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Drizzle and fog patches until later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate until later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Humber

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate until later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate until later.
Weather: Mainly fair, showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: East or northeast, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Showers later, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: East or northeast, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Showers later, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: East or northeast, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Showers later, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: East or northeast, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly easterly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in far north.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in west until later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Thu 19 Sep 2024

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, variable mainly easterly, 2 to 4, occasionally northeasterly 5 later in north. In north, easterly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: In south, showers, fog patches in east. In north, mainly fair.
Visibility: In south, good, occasionally very poor in east. In north, good.

Sole

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair, showers, perhaps thundery, later.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: East or northeast, 3 to 5, occasionally variable 2 or 3 in south.
Sea state: Slight in north, mainly moderate in south.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Rockall

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight.
Weather: Drizzle or fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight.
Weather: Drizzle or fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Hebrides

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle or fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle or fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Variable becoming mainly east or northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches, mainly south.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.