Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

Low Southeast Iceland 992 losing its identity by 1800 Saturday. New low expected 120 miles southwest of Iceland 988 by same time

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Fri 17 Sep 2021.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Sat 18 Sep 2021 to 00:00 (UTC) on Sun 19 Sep 2021.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:54 (UTC) on Fri 17 Sep 2021

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Fri 17 Sep 2021

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 5 or 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in south and rough in north.
Weather: Occasional rain in northwest.
Visibility: Good, occasional moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasional poor.

Forth

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasional poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: East or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Portland

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasional poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasional poor.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers, thundery at times.
Visibility: Good, occasional poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6. In north, northwesterly becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: In south, showers. In north, showers, occasionally thundery.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Northwesterly becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, occasionally thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Northwesterly becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, occasionally thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwesterly becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, occasionally thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasional poor.

Shannon

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly for a time, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly for a time, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, backing south 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Hebrides

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, backing south 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Bailey

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southeast 5 to 7 for a time.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in east, becoming variable 2 to 4 then southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 then southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Westerly backing southerly or southeasterly, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

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.