Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

Low Faeroes 967 expected Hebrides 978 by 0600 Monday. Low west Shannon 979 losing its identity by same time

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019 to 12:00 (UTC) on Mon 16 Dec 2019.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: South or southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Wind: South or southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: South or southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Dec 2019

Gale now ceased but westerly severe gale force 9 expected soon

Wind: Westerly, 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 09:52 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019

Westerly storm 10 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale 8 imminent

Wind: West backing southwest gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 09:52 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019

Westerly storm 10 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale 8 imminent

Wind: West backing southwest gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 04:16 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, backing south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 04:02 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, backing south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 04:16 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, backing south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Dec 2019

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, backing south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Dec 2019

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, backing south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Dec 2019

Severe gale force 9 now backed southwesterly and decreased gale force 8

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, backing south 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Very rough or high, but rough for a time in southeast.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Dec 2019

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: In south, southwesterly 4 to 6, veering north 5 to 7 later. In north, westerly or southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: In south, very rough or high. in north, very rough or high.
Weather: In south, occasional rain. In north, squally showers.
Visibility: In south, good occasionally poor. In north, good occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Dec 2019

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Dec 2019

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 7 or gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Dec 2019

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 7 or gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Dec 2019

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 04:16 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 04:02 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 04:02 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 09:52 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019

Westerly severe gale 9 backing and decreasing southwesterly gale 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 04:02 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019

Northerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Dec 2019

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming northeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 14 Dec 2019

Severe gale force 9 veering northeasterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming northeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 04:02 (UTC) on Sun 15 Dec 2019

Severe gale force 9 veering northeasterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional sleet.
Visibility: Moderate 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.