Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

Atlantic low 964 moving northeastwards expected approximately 200 miles west of Norway by 1800 Thursday

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 soon, veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southerly veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high for a time in north.
Weather
Rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly severe gale 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Southerly veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally high for a time in north.
Weather
Rain, showers later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind
Southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough, occasionally very rough in north.
Weather
Rain, then showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 now veered southwesterly

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6 in north, veering northwesterly 6 or 7 later in far north.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in northwest.
Weather
Rain later in north.
Visibility
Good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning
Issued:

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic, mainly easterly or northeasterly, 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 in southeast.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough southeast.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind
In south, cyclonic, mainly easterly or northeasterly, 4 to 6. In north, westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
In south, moderate, occasionally rough southeast. in north, moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
In south, fair . In north, occasional rain.
Visibility
In south, moderate or good. In north, moderate or good.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming high later.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in north.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state
Very rough or high, rough at times in east.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind
Southwest gale 8 to storm 10, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
High or very high, becoming very rough or high, then mainly very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 veering westerly and decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind
Southwest gale 8 to storm 10, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
High or very high, becoming very rough or high, then mainly very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind
Cyclonic 7 to 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally very high for a time.
Weather
Squally, wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind
Cyclonic 7 to 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally very high for a time.
Weather
Squally, wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind
Cyclonic 7 to 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Squally, 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.