Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midday

Low Norwegian Basin 962 losing its identity by midday tomorrow. Low southern Sweden 974 expected southern finland 966 by same time

Issued at: 16:25 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021 to 18:00 (UTC) on Fri 22 Oct 2021.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 03:40 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 or 6 later in west.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming very rough, occasionally high later in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:41 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming very rough, occasionally high later in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:41 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 03:40 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 or 6 later in west.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 03:40 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:41 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 15:41 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 15:41 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 15:41 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 15:41 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 15:41 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6, veering north or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming rough, then moderate later.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Wed 20 Oct 2021

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate at first in south, otherwise rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, northwesterly veering northeasterly later, 3 to 5. In north, northerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 then southerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: In south, rough. in north, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: In south, showers. In north, fair.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Northerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 then southerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Northwest backing west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwest backing west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough for a time.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming rough.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming rough.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing southwest later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming rough later, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:49 (UTC) on Wed 20 Oct 2021

Gale force 8 backing northwesterly imminent

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing southwest later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:49 (UTC) on Wed 20 Oct 2021

Gale force 8 backing northwesterly imminent

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing southwest later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:49 (UTC) on Wed 20 Oct 2021

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing southwesterly later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:41 (UTC) on Thu 21 Oct 2021

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, backing southwesterly later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

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.