Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

Low west Bailey 999 expected Bailey 1003 by midday tomorrow. New low expected FitzRoy 1004 by same time

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Mon 20 Jan 2025.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Mon 20 Jan 2025 to 18:00 (UTC) on Tue 21 Jan 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: South veering southwest, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forties

Wind: West or southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: West or southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: West or southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: West or southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: West or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but smooth or slight at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: Southwest 3 or 4, increasing 4 or 5 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Southwest 3 or 4, increasing 4 or 5 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Southwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: Southwest backing southeast later, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Southwest backing southeast later, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Southeast, backing east later, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Southeast, backing east later, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Southeast, backing east later, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly, becoming cyclonic later, 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 09:52 (UTC) on Mon 20 Jan 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Mon 20 Jan 2025

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly southwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
Weather: Occasional rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7, perhaps gale 8 later in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Southeast 3 or 4, backing east or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: Southwest, becoming variable later, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: Southwest, becoming variable later, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable but mainly southwest, 2 or 3.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: West or southwest, becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough, very rough later in northwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: West or southwest, becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: West or southwest, becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Mon 20 Jan 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northeasterly later, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southwest, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but mainly slight or moderate in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good,.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good,.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:54 (UTC) on Mon 20 Jan 2025

Northeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5 until later in southeast, otherwise northeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, wintry at times in northwest.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming 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.