Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low FitzRoy 999 expected Biscay 993 by 1800 Saturday. Low Norwegian Basin 1006 and low Sole 1000 lose their identities

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Fri 26 Apr 2024.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Sat 27 Apr 2024 to 00:00 (UTC) on Sun 28 Apr 2024.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

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

South Utsire

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in south.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

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

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: East 2 to 4, backing northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasional poor later.

Dogger

Wind: East 2 to 4, backing northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasional poor later.

Fisher

Wind: East 2 to 4, backing northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasional poor later.

German Bight

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming east 3 to 5 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in northwest.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: East becoming cyclonic for a time, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: East becoming cyclonic for a time, 3 to 5, veering southeast later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 4 to 6, backing northerly later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 4 to 6, backing northerly later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 03:44 (UTC) on Sat 27 Apr 2024

Westerly gale force 8 expected imminent increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 at first in north, otherwise cyclonic 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 or perhaps severe gale 9 for a time in south, becoming westerly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly north or northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 in east fiztroy.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough until later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly north or northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 in east fiztroy.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west until later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northeasterly, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northeasterly, 5 to 7, occasionally 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northeasterly, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, backing north or northwest later.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: North becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Malin

Wind: North 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Hebrides

Wind: North 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Bailey

Wind: North becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4 at first, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Mainly moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4 at first, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Mainly moderate, but occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:44 (UTC) on Sat 27 Apr 2024

Gale force 8 veering northeast imminent

Wind: Northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later, becoming cyclonic for a time, then east or southeast later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
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.