Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Print version

The general synopsis at 1800

Low Hebrides 979, moving steadily east and losing its identity by 1800 Wednesday

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 29 Jan 2020 to 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 30 Jan 2020.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly westerly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 for a time in south.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly westerly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

South Utsire

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly westerly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 15:56 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

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

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 15:56 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

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

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:56 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

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

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 21:43 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly gale force 8 continuing

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

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 21:43 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly gale force 8 continuing

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

Fisher

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 21:43 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly gale force 8 continuing

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

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 21:43 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly gale force 8 continuing

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

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 21:43 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 21:43 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Gale force 8 now veered westerly

Wind: West 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing south or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 21:43 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: West 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing south or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:56 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing south or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:56 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing south or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 15:56 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West, backing south or southwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 for a time.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, becoming poor later.

Trafalgar

Wind: In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: In southeast, moderate or rough, but mainly slight in sheltered east. in northwest, rough or very rough.
Weather: In southeast, fair. In northwest, occasional rain.
Visibility: In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, backing southeasterly 5 for a time, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in northeast.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Sole

Wind: Westerly 5 to 7, backing southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, drizzle and fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 15:56 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Westerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, drizzle and fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Fastnet

Wind: Westerly 5 to 7, backing southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, drizzle and fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 15:56 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Gale force 8 now veered westerly

Wind: West backing southwest, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Shannon

Wind: West backing southwest, then south later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers, drizzle and fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 21:43 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Gale force 8 backing southwesterly soon

Wind: West backing southwest, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 21:43 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Gale force 8 continuing, backing southwesterly soon

Wind: West backing southwest, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:43 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly severe gale force 9, decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: In north, cyclonic 3 to 5, in south, westerly 7 to severe gale 9, backing southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:43 (UTC) on Tue 28 Jan 2020

Westerly severe gale force 9, decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: In north, cyclonic 3 to 5, in south, westerly 7 to severe gale 9, backing southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers, rain in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south.
Sea state: Very rough until later in northwest, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or 4.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally 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.