Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

New low expected west of Rockall 957 by midnight tonight. Low south of Iceland 973 moving away slowly west

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 24 Oct 2020.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southerly 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southerly 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

South Utsire

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southerly 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forties

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later in west.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, backing southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, backing southeast 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, backing south 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: West 4 or 5, backing southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough later, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Thu 22 Oct 2020

Wind: Northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 5 later in northwest.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:47 (UTC) on Thu 22 Oct 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 4 or 5, then backing southwest 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 21:47 (UTC) on Thu 22 Oct 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 4 or 5, then backing southwest 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 or 5 for a time, then increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 or 5 for a time, then increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 or 5 for a time, then increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020

Gale now ceased, but southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon, veering westerly later

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020

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

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020

Gale now ceased, but southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020

Gale now ceased, but southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020

Gale now ceased, but southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 or 5, then backing southeast 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in west, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southeast 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 or 5 for a time, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Fri 23 Oct 2020

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: 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.