Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

High just west of Rockall 985 expected Southeast Iceland 978 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020 to 18:00 (UTC) on Fri 30 Oct 2020.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 10:14 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly 4 or 5, backing southeasterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 10:14 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly 4 or 5, backing southeasterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 10:14 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly 4 or 5, backing southeasterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor.

Forties

Wind: Southeast veering southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southeast veering southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southeast veering southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southeast veering southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southeast veering southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Southwest 4 or 5, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

German Bight

Wind: South veering southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: South veering southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 10:14 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: In northwest, southwesterly 5 to 7. In southeast, variable 3 or 4.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: In northwest, rain or drizzle. In southeast, mainly fair.
Visibility: In northwest, moderate, occasionally poor. In southeast, good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Wind: Northeasterly 4 to 6 in southeast, southerly 3 to 5 in northwest.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high at first in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:44 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: In southeast, southerly 5 or 6. In northwest, southwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 4, then southerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: In southeast, rough or very rough. in northwest, very rough.
Weather: In southeast, occasional drizzle. In northwest, rain.
Visibility: In southeast, moderate or good. In northwest, moderate or poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 16:03 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 4, then southerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:44 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 4, then southeast 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 4, then southeast 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 16:03 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 or 6, then becoming variable 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming good.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 21:44 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 to 7, then backing southeast later.
Sea state: High, becoming very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor becoming good.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 16:07 (UTC) on Wed 28 Oct 2020

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 21:44 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 10:14 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 10:14 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 16:03 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon veering southwesterly later

Wind: Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, then southwesterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 16:03 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon veering southwesterly later

Wind: Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, then southwesterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 16:03 (UTC) on Thu 29 Oct 2020

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, then southwesterly later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or 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.