Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Atlantic low expected 250 miles west of Shannon 948 by 1800 Thursday. Low German Bight 1000 losing its identity.

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 23 Jan 2025 to 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 24 Jan 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly backing southerly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly backing southerly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly backing southerly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming mainly southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming mainly southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming mainly southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: Northwesterly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Northerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in west.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Gale now ceased but southwesterly storm force 10 expected later

Wind: Northerly at first in south, otherwise westerly or southwesterly, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 to storm 10 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in south, becoming very rough or high later in northwest.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon, then storm force 10 later

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming high later in west.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8, backing south later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon, then storm force 10 later

Wind: Southwest veering west, 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough, then high or very high later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected imminent, veering westerly soon

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering westerly later

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later in northwest.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jan 2025

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or 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).

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.

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