Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low 900 miles west of Bailey 975 expected west Iceland 981 by 1800 Monday

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Sun 25 Aug 2019.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 26 Aug 2019 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 27 Aug 2019.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forth

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Tyne

Wind: East or southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: East or southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: East or southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

German Bight

Wind: East or southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Humber

Wind: East or southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: East or northeast, becoming variable for a time, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: East or northeast, becoming variable for a time, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: Variable, becoming northwest for a time, 4 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Portland

Wind: Variable, becoming northwest for a time, 4 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Plymouth

Wind: North or northwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In southeast, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first . In northwest, variable 4 or less, becoming southwest 4 or 5 later in west.
Sea state: In southeast, moderate, occasionally rough. in northwest, slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
Weather: In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, occasional rain later.
Visibility: In southeast, moderate or good. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate later.

Sole

Wind: Variable 4 or less, becoming southwest 4 or 5 later in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Lundy

Wind: Northwesterly, backing westerly, 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less for a time.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwesterly, backing westerly, 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less for a time.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: South or southwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches in north.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, veering north 2 to 4 later in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in northwest.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 09:43 (UTC) on Sun 25 Aug 2019

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later in south.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in west.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Slight in east, otherwise moderate becoming rough.
Weather: Fog patches, rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough, but very rough later in west.
Weather: Fog patches, rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:43 (UTC) on Sun 25 Aug 2019

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in west.
Weather: Rain then 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.