Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

Low Lundy 975 moving slowly north, losing its identity

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
Southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional sleet or snow.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind
Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional snow.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
In northeast, southeasterly 6 to gale 8. In southwest, southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
In northeast, occasional sleet or snow. In southwest, occasional rain.
Visibility
In northeast, moderate or good, occasionally poor. In southwest, moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, but moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, but moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, but moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Fisher

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough in southeast, rough or very rough in northwest.
Weather
Occasional sleet or snow.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain or sleet.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind
South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind
South or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind
Southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather
Showers, thundery at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far southwest.
Weather
Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 now backed westerly and decreased severe gale force 9

Wind
Westerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in southwest.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Trafalgar

Wind
Northwest backing southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
High at first in far north, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 now veered northwesterly, decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
West or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Thundery showers at first, then rain.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering northwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in west.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Thundery showers at first, then rain.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Lundy

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate in north, moderate or rough in south.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
West or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state
Very rough, occasionally rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind
East 4 to 6, veering southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state
Very rough at first in west, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Mainly good.

Hebrides

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Mainly good.

Bailey

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Mainly good.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in northeast.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain or sleet.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain or sleet.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Easterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good.

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.