Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

Low South Utsire 983 expected west Dogger 982 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Fri 5 Jun 2020.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Fri 5 Jun 2020 to 12:00 (UTC) on Sat 6 Jun 2020.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Cyclonic 5 or 6, becoming easterly 4 or 5, then variable 3 or 4, then northwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming good.

North Utsire

Wind: Cyclonic 5 or 6, becoming easterly 4 or 5, then variable 3 or 4, then northwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming good.

South Utsire

Wind: Cyclonic 5 or 6, becoming easterly 4 or 5, then variable 3 or 4, then northwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming good.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 10:18 (UTC) on Fri 5 Jun 2020

Northwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 imminent, then backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time, becoming northeast 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 10:18 (UTC) on Fri 5 Jun 2020

Northwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time, becoming northeast 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 10:18 (UTC) on Fri 5 Jun 2020

Westerly gale force 8 expected imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time, becoming northeast 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 10:18 (UTC) on Fri 5 Jun 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, backing southwest 6 to gale 8, then becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 10:18 (UTC) on Fri 5 Jun 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, backing southwest 6 to gale 8, then becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Southwest, becoming cyclonic later, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 10:18 (UTC) on Fri 5 Jun 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, backing southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Northwest, backing southwest, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Dover

Wind: Northwest, backing southwest, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Mainly good.

Wight

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Thu 4 Jun 2020

Wind: Northerly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

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

Sole

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

Lundy

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 10:18 (UTC) on Fri 5 Jun 2020

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in north.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Shannon

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 15:48 (UTC) on Thu 4 Jun 2020

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: In southwest, northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. In northeast, northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: In southwest, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later. in northeast, moderate, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather: In southwest, rain or showers. In northeast, showers then rain.
Visibility: In southwest, moderate or good. In northeast, moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 10:18 (UTC) on Fri 5 Jun 2020

Northwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 15:48 (UTC) on Thu 4 Jun 2020

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 15:48 (UTC) on Thu 4 Jun 2020

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:43 (UTC) on Thu 4 Jun 2020

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south and west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 15:48 (UTC) on Thu 4 Jun 2020

Northerly severe gale force 9 expected soon

Wind: Northerly 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high until later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good later.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:48 (UTC) on Thu 4 Jun 2020

Northerly severe gale force 9 expected soon

Wind: Northerly 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high until later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good 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.