Coast and sea
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The general synopsis at midday
High 300 miles west of Shannon 1036 expected 450 miles west of Shannon 1031 by midday tomorrow
Issued at:.
For the periodto.
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
iShipping forecast and gale warnings explained
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in east, then backing westerly later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in east, otherwise moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Forties
- Wind
- Northwesterly at first in east, otherwise westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Forth
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Tyne
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Dogger
- Wind
- Northwesterly at first in east, otherwise westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in northeast, backing westerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 continuing
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Easterly 6 to gale 8 in far southeast, elsewhere cyclonic, mainly northerly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first. In north, northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Sole
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in northeast, slight or moderate in southwest.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing southwest at times, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle at times, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in west and north.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 now veered westerly and decreased gale force 8
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, veering northwesterly 3 to 5 later in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps wintry.
- 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).
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.