Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Low 150 miles west of Sole 970 expected Scotland 989 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Wed 27 Sep 2023.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 27 Sep 2023 to 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 28 Sep 2023.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Wed 27 Sep 2023

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest backing southeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Wed 27 Sep 2023

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly backing southeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Wed 27 Sep 2023

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly backing southeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Tue 26 Sep 2023

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Tue 26 Sep 2023

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Tue 26 Sep 2023

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Tue 26 Sep 2023

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Tue 26 Sep 2023

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: South or southeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: South or southeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: South or southeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Southeast 3 or 4, veering southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Southeast 3 or 4, veering southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Southeast 3 or 4, veering southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: South veering southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:49 (UTC) on Tue 26 Sep 2023

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South veering southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: South 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southeast, rough or very rough in northwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Tue 26 Sep 2023

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, but easterly 5 or 6 near strait of gibraltar.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in northwest.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Wed 27 Sep 2023

Southwesterly storm force 10, decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent, then decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, but gale 8 to storm 10 at first in north, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time in south.
Sea state: Very rough or high in northwest, rough or very rough in southeast.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:49 (UTC) on Tue 26 Sep 2023

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon, veering westerly and increasing violent storm force 11 later

Wind: West or southwest severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, decreasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Poor, becoming moderate or good.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Tue 26 Sep 2023

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high for a time in west.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming good later.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Tue 26 Sep 2023

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: South 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, veering southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high for a time.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming good later.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 07:48 (UTC) on Wed 27 Sep 2023

Southeasterly gale force 8 imminent, veering southerly and increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind: South 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming good later.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Tue 26 Sep 2023

Southeasterly gale force 8 imminent, veering westerly and increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind: Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, becoming west or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in south.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Poor, becoming moderate or good.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Tue 26 Sep 2023

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Tue 26 Sep 2023

Gale now ceased, but easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Wed 27 Sep 2023

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest backing southeast 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Southwest backing southeast, becoming cyclonic later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Wed 27 Sep 2023

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest backing southeast, becoming cyclonic later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming east 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming easterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: 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.

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.