Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

Low just south of Iceland 963 expected Norwegian Basin 962 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024 to 12:00 (UTC) on Sun 22 Dec 2024.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:49 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 imminent, increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first.
Sea state: Very rough or high occasionally rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Fri 20 Dec 2024

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough occasionally high.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:49 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough occasionally high.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Severe gale force 9 veering westerly soon, then veering northwesterly later

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

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Severe gale force 9 veering westerly soon, then veering northwesterly later

Wind: Southwest veering west, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough occasionally moderate.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Severe gale force 9 veering westerly soon, then veering northwesterly later

Wind: Southwest veering west, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough occasionally moderate.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Westerly gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwest veering west, 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Westerly gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwest veering west, 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 09:49 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Gale force 8 veering westerly soon

Wind: Southwest veering west, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high in northwest.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 09:49 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Gale force 8 veering westerly soon

Wind: Southwest veering west, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 09:49 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Gale force 8 veering westerly soon

Wind: Southwest veering west, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 09:49 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Gale force 8 veering westerly soon

Wind: Southwest veering west, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 09:49 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Gale force 8 veering westerly soon

Wind: Southwest veering west, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 09:49 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Gale force 8 veering westerly soon

Wind: Southwest veering west, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

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

Wind: Southwest veering northwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

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

Wind: Southwest veering northwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Wind: Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in far southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Occasional rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high in later.
Weather: Occasional rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Occasional rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Westerly gale force 8 expected imminent, veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: West 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Gale force 8 now veered westerly, veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Northwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming high or very high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Storm force 10 now veered westerly, veering northwesterly later

Wind: West veering northwest, gale 8 to storm 10.
Sea state: High or very high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Severe gale force 9 veering westerly imminent, veering northwesterly and increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: West veering northwest, gale 8 to storm 10.
Sea state: High or very high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Violent storm force 11 veering northwesterly and decreasing storm force 10 imminent

Wind: West or northwest gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first.
Sea state: High or very high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Violent storm force 11 veering northwesterly and decreasing storm force 10 imminent

Wind: West or northwest gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first.
Sea state: High or very high.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Fri 20 Dec 2024

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon, veering westerly and increasing violent storm force 11 later

Wind: Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first in south.
Sea state: Very rough or high occasionally very high.
Weather: Rain or wintry squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Violent storm force 11 veering northwesterly and decreasing storm force 10 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic, 4 to 6 at first in north otherwise gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first in south.
Sea state: Very rough or high occasionally very high.
Weather: Rain or wintry squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Sat 21 Dec 2024

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly northerly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in north and east.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally rough at first in north.
Weather: Rain or 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.