Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 0600

Low mid-Atlantic 976 moving steadily northeast, expected 150 miles south of Iceland 964 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest backing south, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally showers then rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good becoming moderate occasionally poor later.

South Utsire

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good becoming moderate occasionally poor later.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest backing south 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest backing south 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest backing south 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
Southwest backing south 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind
Southwest backing south 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind
Southwest backing south 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind
Southwest backing south 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind
Southwest backing south 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind
Southwest backing south 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind
Southwest backing south 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind
Southwest backing south 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Mainly fair.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind
In north, southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6. In south, variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state
In north, rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough. in south, rough or very rough becoming rough later.
Weather
In north, mainly fair. In south, fair.
Visibility
In north, good, occasionally moderate. In south, good occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Gale warning
Issued:

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Forecast issued:

Wind
In southeast, northeasterly 4 to 6, veering easterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. In northwest, northeasterly, veering southeasterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state
In southeast, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later. in northwest, rough or very rough.
Weather
In southeast, fair. In northwest, fair.
Visibility
In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
In southeast, variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6. In northwest, southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later in west.
Sea state
In southeast, rough or very rough becoming rough later. in northwest, very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
In southeast, fair. In northwest, occasional rain.
Visibility
In southeast, good occasionally moderate. In northwest, good occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later in west.
Sea state
Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind
Southwest backing south, 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, but occasionally very rough at first in far southwest.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind
Southwest backing south, 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in southwest.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest backing south, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing southwesterly soon

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
High becoming very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
High becoming very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
High becoming very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
High or very high becoming very rough or high.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 backing southeasterly imminent, veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Cyclonic becoming southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 until later.
Sea state
High or very high becoming very rough or high.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, backing southerly soon and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
South or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
In southeast rough or very rough, otherwise high or very high becoming very rough or high.
Weather
Squally showers then occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, backing southerly soon and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
High or very high becoming very rough or high.
Weather
Squally showers then occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but easterly severe gale force 9 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 until later.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

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.