Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midday

Low mid-Atlantic 981 expected northwest of Bailey 971 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Forties

Wind
West backing south 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind
West backing south 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind
West backing south 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
West backing south 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind
West backing south 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind
West backing south 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain and fog patches, fog banks later.
Visibility
Moderate or good occasionally very poor, becoming moderate to very poor later.

German Bight

Wind
West backing south 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain and fog patches, fog banks later.
Visibility
Moderate or good occasionally very poor, becoming moderate to very poor later.

Humber

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Wight

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, backing south or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Portland

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional drizzle, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Plymouth

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough, becoming moderate in east.
Weather
Occasional drizzle, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Biscay

Wind
Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6, but variable 2 to 4 in south.
Sea state
Rough, becoming moderate in east.
Weather
Occasional drizzle, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued:

Wind
Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, except in south.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind
In southeast, southerly 3 or 4, increasing 5 to 7. In northwest, southerly 5 to 7.
Sea state
In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough or very rough.
Weather
In southeast, occasional rain, fog patches. In northwest, occasional rain.
Visibility
In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind
Southerly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind
Southwest backing south 4 to 6.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Fastnet

Wind
Southwest backing south 4 to 6.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Irish Sea

Wind
Southwest backing south 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later.
Sea state
Very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later.
Sea state
Very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind
Southerly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough or very rough in northwest, slight or moderate in southeast.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

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

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers then rain.
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.