Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Low Fair Isle 1005 expected Viking 1001 by midnight tonight. New low expected Rockall 1016 by same time.

Issued at: 06:05 (UTC+1) on Thu 23 May 2019.

For the period 07:00 (UTC+1) on Thu 23 May 2019 to 07:00 (UTC+1) on Fri 24 May 2019.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northerly later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in south.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly, becoming cyclonic, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, becoming cyclonic 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Westerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Westerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Westerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in south.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Southwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in northeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Variable becoming northwest later 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Variable becoming northwest later 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Variable becoming northwest later 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Variable becoming northwest later 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable becoming northwest later 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northwest later, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Isolated showers and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Thu 23 May 2019

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northwest later, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Isolated showers and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northwest later, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Isolated showers and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming west 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming west 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Shannon

Wind: Cyclonic 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Rockall

Wind: In southwest, cyclonic 4 or 5. In northeast, variable 3 or 4.
Sea state: In southwest, moderate in northeast, moderate or rough.
Weather: In southwest, rain, fog patches . In northeast, mainly fair.
Visibility: In southwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In northeast, moderate or good.

Malin

Wind: Northwesterly 4 or 5 in east, variable veering 3 or 4 in west.
Sea state: East smooth or slight, west moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Wind: In northeast, cyclonic 4 or 5. In southwest, northerly or northwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: In northeast, moderate occasionally rough. in southwest, moderate or rough.
Weather: In northeast, rain, fog patches. In southwest, rain or showers.
Visibility: In northeast, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In southwest, moderate or good.

Faeroes

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.

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