Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low FitzRoy 999 expected Biscay 1003 by midnight tonight. Low Faeroes 1007 expected 50 miles north of Faeroes unchanged by same time. New low expected Irish Sea 1003 by that time

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Thu 16 May 2024.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 16 May 2024 to 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 17 May 2024.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dogger

Wind: In southwest, variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5 later. In northeast, easterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In southwest, slight or moderate. in northeast, slight or moderate.
Weather: In southwest, occasional rain, fog patches. In northeast, fair.
Visibility: In southwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In northeast, good.

Fisher

Wind: Easterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Easterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly southwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Wed 15 May 2024

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but slight in far southeast.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle in north until later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor in north until later.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic becoming north or northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic becoming north or northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Fastnet

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast, 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Shannon

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in far southwest.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: In southeast, variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly 4 to 6 later. In northwest, variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate.
Weather: In southeast, occasional rain, fog patches. In northwest, rain.
Visibility: In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In northwest, moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northeast later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches at first in east.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in east.

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.