Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

Low 1007 southwest Norway losing its identity by 0600 tomorrow. New low 1003 expected southeast Forties by same time

Issued at: 12:30 (UTC+1) on Wed 22 May 2019.

For the period 13:00 (UTC+1) on Wed 22 May 2019 to 13:00 (UTC+1) on Thu 23 May 2019.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Cyclonic 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly backing southerly or southeasterly, 4 or 5, veering southwesterly 5 later in south.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly backing southerly or southeasterly, 4 or 5, veering southwesterly 5 later in south.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Westerly 5 or 6 becoming cyclonic 4 for a time, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Westerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Westerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Tyne

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

Dogger

Wind: Northwest backing southwest, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Northwest backing southwest, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

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

Humber

Wind: Variable, becoming south or southwest, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in north.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Variable, becoming south or southwest, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Variable, becoming south or southwest, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Variable 3 becoming westerly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: Variable 3 becoming westerly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable 3 becoming westerly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 3 but easterly 4 at first in south, becoming westerly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Tue 21 May 2019

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in east.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Southerly, veering westerly later, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Sole

Wind: Southerly, veering westerly later, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Lundy

Wind: South or southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: South or southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: South or southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Southeasterly, becoming cyclonic later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Rockall

Wind: In southwest, southeasterly, becoming cyclonic later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first . In northeast, variable 3 or 4.
Sea state: In southwest, moderate, occasionally rough. in northeast, slight or moderate.
Weather: In southwest, occasional rain, fog patches . In northeast, fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in southwest.

Malin

Wind: Variable 3 or 4 in south, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming rough later in north.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming rough later in north.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Cyclonic 3 or 4 but northerly or northwesterly 5 or 6 in west.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough in west.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 5 or 6.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 5 or 6.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.

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