Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low Denmark 1007 expected northwest Germany 1003 by 1800 Wednesday. High Shannon 1030 dissipating

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Tue 23 Apr 2024.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 24 Apr 2024 to 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 25 Apr 2024.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Tue 23 Apr 2024

Northerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing northwesterly, then veering northeasterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Tue 23 Apr 2024

Northerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing northwesterly, then veering northeasterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forties

Wind: Northerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: North 4 to 6, backing northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: North 4 to 6, backing northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: North 4 to 6, backing northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: North 4 to 6, backing northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: Northeast 5 to 7, backing north or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly north, 5 to 7, becoming northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough until later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough until later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in northeast.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 5 or 6 in south, otherwise northwesterly 3 to 4.
Sea state: Slight to moderate, occasionally rough in far south.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Lundy

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Rockall

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Malin

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Hebrides

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Bailey

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in far east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches in northeast.
Visibility: Moderate or good, but poor or very poor in northeast.

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.