Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low west of Shannon 1012 expected Norwegian Basin 1007 by midnight tonight. New lows expected Sole 1014 and Rockall 1015 by same time

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Mon 19 Apr 2021.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 19 Apr 2021 to 06:00 (UTC) on Tue 20 Apr 2021.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly, veering southwesterly later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in northwest.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in north.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5, veering southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in northeast and smooth in southwest.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Forth

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5, veering southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth in southwest.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
Weather: Fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Fisher

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in north, becoming variable 4 or less.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in north.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Variable, mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth, occasionally slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: Variable, mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth, occasionally slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind: Variable, mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth, occasionally slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind: Variable, mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Wight

Wind: Variable, mainly east or southeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Variable, mainly east or southeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable, mainly east or southeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: East or southeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in northeast.
Weather: Rain in southwest.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate in southwest.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Sun 18 Apr 2021

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, but slight until later in southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In southeast, variable 4 or less, becoming northwesterly 3 or 4. In northwest, cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: In southeast, moderate. in northwest, moderate or rough.
Weather: In southeast, showers. In northwest, rain.
Visibility: In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 4 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in southwest.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 4 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Rockall

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: South, becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough, but slight or moderate in east.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northwest later.
Sea state: Rough, but slight or moderate in east.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain, wintry showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northwest, veering westerly or southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming west 5 or 6.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate in northeast.
Weather: Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5 veering westerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate or 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.