Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

Low netherlands 1006 expected Fisher 1011 by 0600 Tuesday.

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Mon 28 Sep 2020.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Mon 28 Sep 2020 to 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 29 Sep 2020.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: South 4 to 6, veering northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable 3 at times, otherwise southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forties

Wind: South or southeast veering west or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southeast veering west or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: South or southeast veering west or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: West or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: West or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind: Easterly, veering southeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north, becoming cyclonic later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: Easterly, veering southeasterly, then bec cyclonic later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: West or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind: West or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: West or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: West or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: West or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Southwest veering west or northwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Biscay

Wind: Variable, mainly northwest, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers, fog patches in north.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Sun 27 Sep 2020

Wind: Northerly 4 to 6, but variable 4 or less for a time in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming slight later in southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In southeast, northwesterly 4 to 6 in far southeast, otherwise variable 4 or less, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later. In northwest, westerly 3 to 5 at first in east, otherwise northerly or northwesterly, veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: In southeast, moderate. in northwest, moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Southwesterly 5 at first in far east, otherwise northwesterly, veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in west.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: South veering northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain and fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Irish Sea

Wind: South veering northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Rain at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Shannon

Wind: West, backing southwest, 4 to 6, increasing 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: West, backing southwest, 4 to 6, increasing 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Malin

Wind: West, backing south later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: West, backing south later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind: West, backing south later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southerly, 5 to 7, veering southwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Wind: In east, southerly, 5 to 7, veering southwesterly, 3 to 5. In west, westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: In east, moderate, occasionally rough at first. in west, moderate or rough.
Weather: In east, rain or squally showers . In west, showers.
Visibility: In east, moderate or good. In west, good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: 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.