Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 0600

New low expected FitzRoy 976 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southeasterly, 5 to 7 throughout in northeast, but elsewhere 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Snow showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind
Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Snow showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Snow showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light icing.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Snow showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind
Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind
Southeast, veering south later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind
Southeast, veering south later, 4 to 6.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southeast veering southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high later in west.
Weather
Rain or squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Forecast issued:

Wind
West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state
Very rough or high, occasionally rough in southeast.
Weather
Thundery showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 imminent, increasing violent storm force 11 later

Wind
Westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 later in north.
Sea state
Very rough or high becoming high or very high.
Weather
Squally thundery showers.
Visibility
Poor.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southwest, becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high occasionally very high.
Weather
Squally thundery showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Southeast veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly soon

Wind
Southeast veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in south.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in south, decreasing 4 to 6 in north.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high, occasionally very high in south.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later in west.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 except in north.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 except in north.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later in south.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Wintry showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind
Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state
Rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Showers.
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.