Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

High northwestern France 1035 expected eastern Germany 1037 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Wed 15 Jan 2025.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 15 Jan 2025 to 12:00 (UTC) on Thu 16 Jan 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle in north.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor in north.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in east.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, smooth or slight in west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6,.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, smooth or slight in west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: South or southwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind: Variable 3 or less becoming south or southwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Wight

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in southeast, slight or moderate in northwest.
Weather: Fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Portland

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable becoming southeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough in west and south.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 2 to 4, backing northeasterly 3 to 5 in east.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Wed 15 Jan 2025

Wind: Southeast 4 or 5, but northeasterly 4 to 6 at first in southeast, becoming variable 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 or 5 later in east. In north, southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 later in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 later in west.
Sea state: Mainly rough, but moderate at first in east and very rough until later in west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fastnet

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in northwest and 3 in southeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches at first in northeast.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in northeast.

Shannon

Wind: South 5 or 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Drizzle in northwest.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor in northwest.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:44 (UTC) on Wed 15 Jan 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 continue

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or drizzle at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or drizzle at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Wed 15 Jan 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 continue

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later in northwest.
Weather: Rain or drizzle at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 09:47 (UTC) on Wed 15 Jan 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, and showers for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Wed 15 Jan 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 continue

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southeast, very rough or high in northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Wed 15 Jan 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 continue

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, and showers for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:47 (UTC) on Wed 15 Jan 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, and showers for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

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.