Coast and sea
The general synopsis at midnight
Low Sole 981 expected England 987 by midnight tonight. Atlantic low 966 moving rapidly east expected just west of FitzRoy 982 by same time. New low expected Forties 988 by that time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
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Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In northwest, northeasterly 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later. In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In northwest, rough becoming very rough. in southeast, moderate or rough, becoming very rough later.
- Weather
- In northwest, rain. In southeast, squally showers.
- Visibility
- In northwest, good, occasionally poor. In southeast, good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming mainly very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming mainly very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later, occasionally very rough later in north.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first, veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first, veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Thundery rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- In southeast, westerly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later. In northwest, westerly, becoming cyclonic mainly southwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough, occasionally slight in far southeast. in northwest, rough or very rough, occasionally high later in west.
- Weather
- In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- In south, southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later. In north, southwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- In south, rough or very rough, becoming high later in southwest. in north, rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In south, thundery rain. In north, thundery showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor. In north, good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 backing southwesterly imminent
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming northeast later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming northeast later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming northeast later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming northeast later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north and west.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- In northwest, northeasterly 6 to gale 8. In southeast, northeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In northwest, very rough or high. in southeast, rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In northwest, rain. In southeast, showers.
- Visibility
- In northwest, moderate or poor. In southeast, moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In east, slight or moderate occasionally rough, but elsewhere rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Northeast 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Northeast 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in south.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northeast 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Northeast 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate in northwest and very rough at first in south.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- 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.
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