Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

New low expected Southeast Iceland 989 by midnight tonight. New high expected just east of FitzRoy 1030 by same time

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Wed 25 May 2022.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 25 May 2022 to 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 26 May 2022.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: South or southwest, veering west, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southwest, veering west, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Forth

Wind: South or southwest, veering west, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Tyne

Wind: South or southwest, veering west, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Dogger

Wind: South or southwest, veering west, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Fisher

Wind: West or southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate, occasionally rough in north.
Weather: Fair, then rain or shower.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: West or southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate.
Weather: Fair, then rain or shower.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair at first, otherwise rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair at first, otherwise rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair at first, otherwise rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in south.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in far north.
Weather: Mainly fair, showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Tue 24 May 2022

Wind: Northerly 4 to 6, occasionally variable 2 to 4 in far southeast.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Mainly fair, showers later.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, west or northwest 3 to 5, veering northeasterly 4 to 6 later. In north, northwest 4 to 6, backing west 3 to 5.
Sea state: In south, moderate, occasionally rough. in north, moderate or rough.
Weather: In south, mainly fair. In north, rain or showers.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, backing west 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Wind: West 5 to 7, backing southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Wind: West or southwest, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough, then becoming very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain at first , otherwise showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: West or southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough.
Weather: Occasional rain at first, otherwise showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: West or southwest, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Wind: West or southwest, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough, then becoming very rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: South, veering west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or 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.