Coast and sea
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The general synopsis at midnight
Low Fastnet 1007 expected southeast England 997 by midnight tonight. Low shetland 990 losing its identity
Issued at:.
For the periodto.
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
iShipping forecast and gale warnings explained
Viking
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south, becoming variable 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasional rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
Issued:
Gale force 8 now backed southwesterly
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasional rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Gale warning
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Gale warning
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Southwest becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, heavy later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, heavy later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Dover
- Gale warning
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, heavy at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, heavy at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, heavy at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, heavy at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 3 at first in south, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in far northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain in north, thundery showers in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, but cyclonic 3 to 5 in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 at first in north, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- West veering northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- West veering northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- 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).
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
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.
