Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

Low Hebrides 979 expected Forties 989 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020 to 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 27 Oct 2020.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly 5 or 6, backing southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough at first, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly 5 or 6, backing southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough at first, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly 5 or 6, backing southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: South 5 or 6, becoming cyclonic, then southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: South 5 or 6, becoming cyclonic, then southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: South 5 or 6, becoming cyclonic, then southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southwest veering west for a time, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southwest veering west for a time, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly later, becoming cyclonic at times in north, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough later in south and east.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in west, elsewhere moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in west, elsewhere moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 04:22 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020

Westerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, then backing southwest later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 04:22 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020

Westerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, then backing southwest later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in northeast, elsewhere rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 04:22 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020

Westerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, then backing southwest later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 04:22 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020

Westerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, then backing southwest later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in east, then decreasing 3 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in far southeast, but elsewhere rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers then fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Westerly 5 or 6, backing southwesterly then veering westerly later, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough.
Weather: Showers, rain for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020

Gale force 8 backing southwesterly soon

Wind: Westerly 5 or 6, backing southwesterly then veering westerly later, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming high later in west.
Weather: Showers, rain for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: West or northwest, backing south or southwest later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Very rough or high at first in south, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: West or northwest, backing south or southwest later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Very rough or high at first in south, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 15:50 (UTC) on Sun 25 Oct 2020

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West or northwest, backing south or southwest later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020

Gale now ceased, but southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, backing south or southeast then veering southwest later, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later in west.
Weather: Rain, showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020

Gale now ceased, but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, backing south or southeast then veering southwest later, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later in west.
Weather: Rain, showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 15:50 (UTC) on Sun 25 Oct 2020

Gale now ceased, but northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: North 4 or 5, veering southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Fair Isle

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Faeroes

Wind: Northeasterly veering easterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Mon 26 Oct 2020

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northeasterly veering easterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

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).

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.