Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midday

Low Trafalgar 999 expected Portugal 1015 by midday Thursday. Low Malin 1003 loses its identity.

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Viking

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming mainly southerly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming mainly southerly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, occasionally easterly 5, becoming mainly southerly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming mainly southerly 3 to 5, later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, occasionally, becoming mainly southerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming mainly southerly 3 to 5, later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming mainly southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming mainly southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming mainly southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

German Bight

Wind
Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming mainly southwest 4 to 6 later, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate.
Weather
Rain or showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Mainly northwest 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Mainly northwest 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Mainly northwest 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Mainly northwest 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Mainly northwest 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally severe gale 9 for a time.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Mainly northwest 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally severe gale 9 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind
Northwesterly 3 to 5, then backing southwesterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time in north.
Sea state
Moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
Weather
Occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering northerly soon

Forecast issued:

Wind
Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west, becoming southwesterly 4 or 5 later in southeast.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Thundery rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Northerly gale force 8, backing southwesterly severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Northerly 3 to 5 in north, but 6 to gale 8 in south, backing southwesterly, 4 to 6 later, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 later in northwest.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in south and later in northwest.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Northwest 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing west 3 to 5 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate, becoming moderate or rough, then rough or very rough later.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
West 3 to 5, backing southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later, veering west 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
West 3 to 5, backing southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later, veering west 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
West 3 to 5, backing southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later, veering west 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state
Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor later.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly severe gale 9 expected later

Wind
West 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing west 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather
Showers, rain later.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers or rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers or rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers or rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind
Southeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers or rain.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind
Southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state
Mainly moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state
Mainly moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind
Southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state
Mainly moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Moderate or 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.