Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

New lows expected Rockall 983, Shannon 986 and Lundy 987 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC+1) on Wed 24 Apr 2019.

For the period 13:00 (UTC+1) on Wed 24 Apr 2019 to 13:00 (UTC+1) on Thu 25 Apr 2019.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Wed 24 Apr 2019

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight in east, moderate or rough in west.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:42 (UTC) on Wed 24 Apr 2019

Easterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Wed 24 Apr 2019

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: In northeast, easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8. In southwest, easterly or southeasterly 5 or 6.
Sea state: In northeast, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough. in southwest, moderate or rough.
Weather: In northeast, rain or showers. In southwest, occasional rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: In northeast, good, occasionally poor. In southwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Cromarty

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Forth

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Tyne

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Dogger

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Wed 24 Apr 2019

Easterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: In north, easterly 6 to gale 8. In south, southeasterly, becoming cyclonic for a time, 5 or 6.
Sea state: In north, moderate or rough. in south, moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: In north, rain or showers. In south, thundery showers, fog patches later.
Visibility: In north, good, occasionally poor. In south, moderate, occasionally very poor later.

German Bight

Wind: Southeasterly, becoming cyclonic for a time, 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally very poor later.

Humber

Wind: East or southeast 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: East or southeast 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: Southwest backing southeast, then veering south later, 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: Southwest backing southeast, then veering south later, 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: Southwest 4 or 5, becoming cyclonic, mainly south, 5 to 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Southwest 4 or 5, becoming cyclonic, mainly south, 5 to 7 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Wed 24 Apr 2019

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in south.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 21:41 (UTC) on Tue 23 Apr 2019

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Tue 23 Apr 2019

Wind: Southwesterly 5 or 6, veering westerly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:41 (UTC) on Tue 23 Apr 2019

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: In east, southerly veering southwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south. In west, westerly 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: In east, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in south. in west, rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in west.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: South backing east, 5 or 6, then becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: South backing east, 5 or 6, then becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: East or southeast 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Cyclonic 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in southwest.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Wind: East becoming cyclonic, 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: East 5 or 6, veering southeast 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or drizzle developing.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Bailey

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or drizzle developing.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or drizzle developing.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or drizzle developing.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:41 (UTC) on Tue 23 Apr 2019

Gale now ceased but northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: In southeast, easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7. In northwest, northeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: In southeast, rain or drizzle developing. In northwest, rain at times.
Visibility: In southeast, good, becoming moderate or poor. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.

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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