Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Thursday 20 February 2020

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 23:30 (UTC) on Thu 20 Feb 2020 for the period 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 21 Feb 2020 to 00:00 (UTC) on Sat 22 Feb 2020.

There are warnings of gales in all areas except Biscay and FitzRoy .

The general synopsis at 1800

New lows expected 100 miles north of faeroe islands 955 and just southwest of Iceland 955 by 1800 Friday. New high expected east Biscay 1032 by same time

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Viking

Westerly backing southwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time. Rough or very rough, occasionally high. Wintry showers then rain. Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Westerly backing southwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time. Rough or very rough, occasionally high. Wintry showers then rain. Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Westerly backing southwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time. Rough or very rough, occasionally high. Wintry showers then rain. Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Westerly backing southwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time. Rough or very rough, occasionally high in north and east. Wintry showers then rain. Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in east. Rain or showers. Moderate or good.

Forth

Southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in east. Rain or showers. Moderate or good.

Tyne

West backing southwest, 6 to gale 8. Moderate or rough. Showers then fair, then rain at times later. Moderate or good.

Dogger

West backing southwest, 6 to gale 8. Rough or very rough. Showers then fair, then rain at times later. Moderate or good.

Fisher

West backing southwest, 6 to gale 8. Rough or very rough. Showers then fair, then rain at times later. Moderate or good.

German Bight

West backing southwest, 6 to gale 8. Rough or very rough. Showers then fair, then rain at times later. Moderate or good.

Humber

West backing southwest, 6 to gale 8. Rough or very rough. Showers then fair, then rain at times later. Moderate or good.

Thames

West backing southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later. Moderate or rough. Showers then fair, then rain at times later. Moderate or good.

Dover

West 5 to 7 backing southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later. Moderate or rough. Mainly fair. Good.

Wight

West 5 to 7 backing southwest 6 to gale 8. Moderate or rough. Mainly fair. Good.

Portland

West 5 to 7 backing southwest 6 to gale 8. Moderate or rough. Mainly fair. Good.

Plymouth

West 5 to 7 backing southwest 6 to gale 8. Rough or very rough. Mainly fair. Good.

Biscay

Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 5 or 6 in north. Rough or very rough. Mainly fair. Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 in south. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far southeast and far southwest. Showers in southwest, fair elsewhere. Good, occasionally moderate in south.

FitzRoy

In south, northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. In north, southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north. In south, rough or very rough. in north, very rough. In south, fair. In north, mainly fair. Moderate or good.

Sole

Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 at first. Very rough or high. Rain later. Moderate or poor, occasionally good at first.

Lundy

Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 at first, perhaps severe gale 9 later. Rough or very rough. Rain later. Moderate or poor, occasionally good at first.

Fastnet

Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 at first, perhaps severe gale 9 later. Very rough or high in southwest, rough or very rough in northeast. Rain later. Moderate or poor, occasionally good at first.

Irish Sea

Southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times. Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough. Fair then rain. Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Shannon

Southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times. High. Fair then rain. Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9. High or very high. Rain then squally wintry showers. Moderate or poor.

Malin

Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9. Very rough or high. Rain then squally wintry showers. Moderate or poor.

Hebrides

Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 in northwest. Very rough or high in southeast, high or very high in northwest. Rain then squally wintry showers. Moderate or poor.

Bailey

Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 at times. High or very high. Rain then squally wintry showers. Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Southwest 7 to severe gale 9. Very rough or high, occasionally rough in southeast, but becoming very high for a time later in northwest. Rain or squally showers, wintry later. Moderate or poor, occasionally good in southeast.

Faeroes

Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 for a time. High or very high. Rain or squally wintry showers. Poor.

Southeast Iceland

In southeast, southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 for a time. In northwest, cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time. In southeast, high or very high. in northwest, rough or very rough becoming very rough or high. In southeast, rain or squally wintry showers. In northwest, rain, snow or wintry showers. In southeast, poor. In northwest, moderate, occasionally very poor.