Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

High southern Scandinavia 1036 expected southern Baltic 1033 by 1800 Thursday. Low Trafalgar 1008 slow-moving unchanged

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Wed 18 Sep 2024.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 19 Sep 2024 to 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 20 Sep 2024.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

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

Cromarty

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forth

Wind: South or southeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Tyne

Wind: East or northeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Dogger

Wind: East or northeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Fisher

Wind: East or northeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Mainly good.

German Bight

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in south.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches in north.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first. In north, easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate or rough.
Weather: In south, fog patches later. In north, fair.
Visibility: In south, moderate or good, occasionally very poor later. In north, mainly good.

Sole

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Lundy

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Fastnet

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Irish Sea

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

Shannon

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: Variable becoming easterly or northeasterly later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: Variable becoming easterly or northeasterly later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Hebrides

Wind: In southeast, variable becoming easterly or northeasterly later, 2 to 4. In northwest, southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable then easterly later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: In southeast, slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first. in northwest, moderate or rough.
Weather: In southeast, occasional drizzle, fog patches. In northwest, occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable then easterly later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: South becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far west.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional drizzle at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor at first.

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.