Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

High Fisher 1034 expected Denmark 1025 by midday tomorrow. New low expected Bailey 1002 by same time

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC+1) on Sat 20 Apr 2019.

For the period 19:00 (UTC+1) on Sat 20 Apr 2019 to 19:00 (UTC+1) on Sun 21 Apr 2019.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming southerly 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
Weather: Occasional rain and drizzle.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming southerly 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
Weather: Occasional rain and drizzle.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly 3, increasing 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming south or southeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming south or southeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming south or southeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming south or southeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming south or southeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Variable, becoming east or southeast, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: Variable, becoming east or southeast, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Variable, becoming east or southeast, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Northeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: Northeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: Northeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: Northeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northeast 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: North or northeast 3 or 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight at first in southeast.
Weather: Showers in south.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Fri 19 Apr 2019

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, northeasterly 6, decreasing 4 or 5. In north, northeasterly, becoming variable, 3 or 4.
Sea state: In south, rough occasionally moderate. in north, moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: In south, fair. In north, fog patches.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, moderate, occasionally very poor.

Sole

Wind: In west, variable 3 or 4, becoming southwesterly 4 or 5. In east, variable 3 or 4.
Sea state: In west, moderate or rough. in east, moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: In west, fog patches. In east, fog patches.
Visibility: In west, poor occasionally very poor. In east, moderate, occasionally very poor.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 3 or 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally very poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable 3 or 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally very poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: South 3 or less, increasing 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6.
Sea state: Rough occasionally moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally very poor.

Rockall

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate in east.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally very poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Cyclonic 4 or 5, becoming southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate at first in east.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: Southwest, becoming cyclonic, 5 or 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southwest, backing southeast for a time, 4 or 5, increasing 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Sat 20 Apr 2019

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

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.

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