Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Developing Atlantic low moving steadily northeast, expected Faeroes 993 by 1800 Saturday

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Fri 19 Aug 2022.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Sat 20 Aug 2022 to 00:00 (UTC) on Sun 21 Aug 2022.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: South 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in northwest.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough at first in southwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly 4 or 5 later in southeast.
Sea state: Rough at first in west, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Wind: Cyclonic in southeast, otherwise northerly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northerly 4 to 6 in far southeast, elsewhere variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: West or southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Lundy

Wind: West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fastnet

Wind: West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 15:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Aug 2022

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 15:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Aug 2022

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Fri 19 Aug 2022

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough in south.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 for a time in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough in south, moderate or rough in north.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Fri 19 Aug 2022

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southerly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southerly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.