Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

Low west Malin 967 expected 50 miles west of Shannon 972 by 1800 Friday. New low expected south Faeroes 975 by same time. Lows Wales 967 and northwest Shannon 971 losing their identities

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time later, then occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time later, then occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

South Utsire

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time later, then occasionally 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Forties

Wind
In east, cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming southerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time later, then occasionally 4 later. In west, easterly becoming cyclonic, then southerly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
In east, rain or showers. In west, showers.
Visibility
In east, moderate or good, occasionally poor at first. In west, good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind
Easterly becoming cyclonic, then southerly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind
Easterly becoming cyclonic, then southerly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
Cyclonic becoming south, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 now backed southerly

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, then decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, then decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 decreasing gale 8 imminent

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwest storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent then gale force 8 soon

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state
High at first in north, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic, becoming westerly or southwesterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in far south and 4 elsewhere.
Sea state
Rough or very rough in east, very rough throughout in west.
Weather
Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwest storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent then gale force 8 soon

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first and 4 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Sole

Wind
West or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Lundy

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state
Rough or very rough in south, moderate or rough in north.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind
Cyclonic becoming southerly or southwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in south, slight or moderate in north.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind
Cyclonic becoming southerly or southwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing northeasterly imminent

Wind
Cyclonic mainly 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 until later in north and west.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming slight in east.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Northeasterly 6 to gale 8 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Northeasterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Northeasterly 6 to gale 8 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in southeast, rough or very rough in northwest.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly severe gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
In southeast, northeasterly 6 to gale 8 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5. In northwest, northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later in northwest.
Weather
In southeast, rain or showers. In northwest, wintry showers, then rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Northeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 imminent, increasing storm force 10 later

Wind
Northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Wintry showers, then rain later.
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.

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