Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Print version

The general synopsis at 1800

Low Iceland 993 moving steadily east and losing its identity by 1800 Monday

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Sun 15 Sep 2019.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 16 Sep 2019 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 17 Sep 2019.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 21:40 (UTC) on Sun 15 Sep 2019

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:39 (UTC) on Sun 15 Sep 2019

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Wind: Northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: Northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: Northwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in northeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 15:35 (UTC) on Sun 15 Sep 2019

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

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

German Bight

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Variable 4 or less, becoming northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: Variable 4 or less, becoming northwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: Variable 4 or less, becoming northwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: Northwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Northwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in northeast.
Weather: Fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Biscay

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Variable, mainly northerly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in northwest.
Sea state: Slight, but moderate in northwest and smooth in far southeast.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in south.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Sole

Wind: Northwest, veering north, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Lundy

Wind: Westerly 3 or 4, veering northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fastnet

Wind: Westerly 3 or 4, veering northeasterly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: In south, westerly 3 or 4, veering northeasterly 4 or 5. In north, northeasterly 2 to 4, backing northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: In south, slight or moderate, occasionally smooth. in north, smooth or slight.
Weather: In south, rain. In north, fair.
Visibility: In south, moderate or good. In north, good.

Shannon

Wind: West 3 to 5, veering northeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Rockall

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 4 or less.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Malin

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Hebrides

Wind: West, veering northwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:40 (UTC) on Sun 15 Sep 2019

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West, veering northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:40 (UTC) on Sun 15 Sep 2019

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West, veering northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 21:40 (UTC) on Sun 15 Sep 2019

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West, veering northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 19:33 (UTC) on Sun 15 Sep 2019

Westerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Westerly 6 to gale 8, veering northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good.

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.