Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low Scotland 1004, slow-moving and deepening 997 by 1800 Wednesday. Low Faeroes 1005 losing its identity by same time

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Tue 27 Jul 2021.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 28 Jul 2021 to 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 29 Jul 2021.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable, becoming mainly easterly or southeasterly, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable, becoming mainly easterly or southeasterly, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Variable, becoming mainly easterly or southeasterly, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forth

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: South 2 to 4, veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Dover

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Wight

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Portland

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Plymouth

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Biscay

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later in south.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Wind: Cyclonic in southeast, otherwise northerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, northerly 4 to 6. In north, westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In south, moderate, occasionally rough later. in north, moderate.
Weather: In south, fair. In north, showers.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: North 3 to 5, backing northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight in east, otherwise moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in east, otherwise moderate, occasionally rough later in southwest.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northeast later 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches, occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northeast later 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches, occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northeast later 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches, occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.