Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

Low Fair Isle 990 expected German Bight 998 by 1800 Monday. New high expected Biscay 1018 by same time. Lows northwest Rockall 995 and Thames 994 both losing their identities

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Sun 24 Jan 2021.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 25 Jan 2021 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 26 Jan 2021.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southeasterly backing northwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly backing northwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly backing northwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sun 24 Jan 2021

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time, becoming northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sun 24 Jan 2021

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time, becoming northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sun 24 Jan 2021

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time, becoming northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sun 24 Jan 2021

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time, becoming northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight, becoming moderate.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Northwest 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight, becoming moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sun 24 Jan 2021

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 3 or 4, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Mon 25 Jan 2021

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, backing west 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough, becoming moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough, becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough, becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, southwesterly 4 to 6. In north, cyclonic becoming southerly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: In south, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough. in north, rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming mo later in east.
Weather: In south, rain, fog patches. In north, rain and fog patches in west.
Visibility: In south, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor in west.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic becoming southerly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming mo later in east.
Weather: Rain and fog patches in west.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in west.

Lundy

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, backing southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough until later in south.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, backing southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough until later in south.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, backing southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Wind: West 3 to 5, backing south 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Mon 25 Jan 2021

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic becoming southeast later, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Malin

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, veering east 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough at first in west.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, veering east 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough at first in west.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Mon 25 Jan 2021

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East or northeast 5 to 7.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Cyclonic becoming north, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southeast, otherwise rough occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Snow showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Snow showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.