Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

Low 250 miles west of Shannon 1002 expected Forth 986 by 1800 Monday. High Biscay 1004 slow-moving dissipating by same time

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 24 Feb 2020 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 25 Feb 2020.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northwesterly, veering easterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly, veering easterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, veering easterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Westerly gale force 8 backing southeasterly later

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Wintry showers then rain or sleet.
Visibility: Good becoming poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Westerly gale force 8 backing southeasterly later

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Wintry showers then rain or sleet.
Visibility: Good becoming poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Westerly gale force 8 backing southeasterly later

Wind: Variable 4, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Fair then sleet.
Visibility: Good becoming poor.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Westerly gale force 8 backing southeasterly later

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Westerly gale force 8 backing southeasterly later

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Westerly gale force 8 backing southeasterly later

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Westerly gale force 8 backing southeasterly later

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Severe gale force 9 now veered northwesterly and decreased gale force 8, backing southwesterly later

Wind: West 3 to 5, backing southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Storm force 10 now veered northwesterly and decreased gale force 8, backing southwesterly later

Wind: West 3 to 5, backing southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Storm force 10 now veered northwesterly and decreased gale force 8, backing southwesterly later

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly, veering westerly, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly, veering westerly, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: In north, southwesterly, veering westerly, 6 to gale 8. In south, variable 3 or 4, becoming westerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In north, rough or very rough. in south, rough.
Weather: In north, occasional rain. In south, mainly fair.
Visibility: In north, moderate occasionally poor. In south, good occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming westerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough occasionally moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: In southeast, variable 3 or 4, becoming westerly 4 to 6. In northwest, southwesterly, veering westerly, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: In southeast, rough. in northwest, rough or very rough.
Weather: In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, rain then showers.
Visibility: In southeast, good occasionally poor. In northwest, poor becoming good.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southwesterly, veering westerly, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Poor becoming good.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly, veering westerly, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Poor becoming good.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly, veering westerly, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Poor becoming good.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west or southwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough, but slight at first in north.
Weather: Rain or snow then showers.
Visibility: Moderate occasionally very poor becoming good.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest, veering west, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Poor becoming good.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Gale now ceased but easterly gale force 8 expected soon veering westerly later

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming west, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming good.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Gale now ceased but easterly gale force 8 expected soon veering westerly later

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming west, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming good.

Hebrides

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming east or southeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers then occasional sleet.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming east or southeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers then occasional sleet.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, backing easterly or southeasterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, backing easterly or southeasterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Sun 23 Feb 2020

Gale force 8 now backed westerly

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, backing easterly or southeasterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very 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.