Coast and sea
The general synopsis at midday
New low moving steadily northeast, expected just north of Norwegian Basin 990 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
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Viking
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good.
Humber
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight until later in east, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- In northwest, southwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6. In southeast, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In northwest, rough occasionally moderate. in southeast, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In northwest, rain later. In southeast, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In northwest, good, occasionally poor. In southeast, good, occasionally very poor.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming northerly in west, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in southeast, rough or very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southwesterly 5 to 7 except in southeast.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming mainly rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but very poor at first.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor, but very poor at first.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in southwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times, but occasionally 3 at first and perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, wintry at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times, but occasionally 3 at first and perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, wintry at first.
- Visibility
- 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.