Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

Low Trafalgar 1001 expected Trafalgar 1006 by 0600 tomorrow. High north-Atlantic 1046, moving away westwards

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2020.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2020 to 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 1 Apr 2020.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northwest 4 or 5, backing west 6 or 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in north.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Forties

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Cromarty

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Forth

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Fisher

Wind: Westerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: In north, westerly 4 to 6. In south, variable 3 or 4, becoming westerly 3 to 5.
Sea state: In north, moderate, occasionally rough later. in south, slight or moderate.
Weather: In north, showers. In south, showers later.
Visibility: In north, good. In south, mainly good.

Humber

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming westerly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Thames

Wind: Northeast 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or 4.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Northeast 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Northeast 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Northeast 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2020

Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northeasterly 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south, then decreasing 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2020

Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northeast 7 or gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west.
Weather: Rain in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate in south.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 15:49 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2020

Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2020

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7 until later in southeast, otherwise northeasterly 6 to gale 8, backing northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southeast, otherwise rough or very rough, occasionally high in far northwest.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2020

Northeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Northeasterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later in southeast.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather: Showers, rain in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:49 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2020

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in south.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Northeast 5 or 6, backing north 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Northeast 5 or 6, backing north 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in south.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough in south, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: Northerly backing westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Malin

Wind: Northerly backing westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 09:57 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2020

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:43 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2020

Gale now ceased, but westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:57 (UTC) on Tue 31 Mar 2020

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2020

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Mon 30 Mar 2020

Severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, then backing southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Westerly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times, then becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later in northeast.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain for a time, wintry showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.