Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low Dogger 1016 slow-moving losing its identity by midnight tonight. New low moving rapidly northeast expected Bailey 960 by same time

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021 to 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 10 Mar 2021.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southeasterly storm force 10 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming south 6 to gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming south 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming south 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming south 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

German Bight

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Smooth at first in shelter, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Smooth at first in shelter, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Smooth at first in shelter, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth at first in shelter, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Biscay

Wind: In northwest, variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later. In southeast, variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: In northwest, smooth at first in shelter, otherwise slight or moderate. in southeast, slight or moderate.
Weather: In northwest, mainly fair. In southeast, showers.
Visibility: In northwest, good, occasionally poor later. In southeast, good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Wind: North 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: In southeast, northeasterly, backing southwesterly, 4 to 6. In northwest, southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7.
Sea state: In southeast, moderate occasionally rough. in northwest, moderate becoming rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: In southeast, fair. In northwest, rain later.
Visibility: In southeast, good. In northwest, good becoming moderate or poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 21:57 (UTC) on Mon 8 Mar 2021

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good becoming moderate or poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:57 (UTC) on Mon 8 Mar 2021

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good becoming moderate or poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 21:57 (UTC) on Mon 8 Mar 2021

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good becoming moderate or poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 21:57 (UTC) on Mon 8 Mar 2021

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 7 to severe gale 9 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 16:05 (UTC) on Mon 8 Mar 2021

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: South, veering west or southwest, 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 16:05 (UTC) on Mon 8 Mar 2021

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: South, veering west or southwest, 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon, increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: South, becoming cyclonic, 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon, increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: South, becoming cyclonic, 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: South, becoming cyclonic, 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Tue 9 Mar 2021

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: South, becoming cyclonic, 5 or 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:57 (UTC) on Mon 8 Mar 2021

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough, occasionally high later in east.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

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.