Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Print version

The general synopsis at midday

New lows expected Fair Isle 981 and Lundy 983 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020 to 18:00 (UTC) on Thu 3 Dec 2020.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: South 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:49 (UTC) on Tue 1 Dec 2020

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon

Wind: Southerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:56 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southerly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 16:00 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: South or southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in south.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: West 4 or 5, backing southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: West 4 to 6, backing south 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: West 4 to 6, backing south 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: West 4 to 6, backing south 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: West or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: West or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 16:00 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020

Westerly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, backing west 6 to gale 8, occasional severe gale force 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020

Wind: Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers in southwest.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 16:00 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020

Westerly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Northeasterly 5 to 7 at first in south, otherwise northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 6 to gale 8, occasional severe gale force 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 16:00 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, backing west 6 to gale 8, occasional severe gale force 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Very rough or high in southwest, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 16:00 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West 6 to gale 8, veering north 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 16:00 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020

Gale force 8 veering northerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West 6 to gale 8, veering north 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 09:48 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020

Westerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: West 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 09:48 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: West 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 16:00 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020

Gale force 8 veering northerly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon, then increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: West 6 to gale 8, veering north 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state: High, occasionally very high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southeast, otherwise very rough or high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then northerly 7 later in west, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:56 (UTC) on Wed 2 Dec 2020

Gale force 8 veering northerly and increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming northerly gale 8 to storm 10.
Sea state: High or very high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
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.