Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Developing low moving rapidly northeast, expected 150 miles west of FitzRoy 979 by midnight tonight

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Wind
South 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

South Utsire

Wind
Southerly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Forties

Wind
South 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind
South 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind
South 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
South 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind
South 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind
South, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind
South, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind
South, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind
Southeast veering southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Dover

Wind
Southeast veering southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Wight

Wind
Southeast veering southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good.

Portland

Wind
Southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4, then backing southeast 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Plymouth

Wind
Southwest 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4, then backing southeast 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather
Showers at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Biscay

Wind
West 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, but easterly 4 to 6 near strait of gibraltar.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 expected later

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later, but severe gale 9 or storm 10 in far northwest.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later in far northwest.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, becoming moderate or poor later in northwest.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 10 expected later

Wind
Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later, occasionally storm 10 in west.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in far west.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, becoming moderate or poor later.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5, then backing southeast 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers, thundery at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5, then backing southeast 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Showers, thundery at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, backing southeast 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, becoming poor later.

Rockall

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing southerly imminent

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing southerly imminent

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind
South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing southerly soon

Wind
South 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing southerly soon

Wind
South 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shipping forecast information

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).

Marine forecasts disclaimer

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.