Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at 0600

Low southern Norwegian Basin 962 expected northern Germany 993 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: .

For the period to .

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…
Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning
Issued:

Storm force 10 now decreased severe gale force 9, veering northwesterly imminent

Wind
North or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming rough later.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, becoming good later.

North Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, veering northerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northerly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, becoming good later.

South Utsire

Gale warning
Issued:

Southwesterly gale force 8 veering northerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
Westerly veering northerly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, becoming good later.

Forties

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering westerly soon, then veering northwesterly later

Wind
West veering northwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering westerly soon, then veering northwesterly later

Wind
West veering northwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times, then backing west 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning
Issued:

Severe gale force 9 veering westerly soon, then veering northwesterly later

Wind
West veering northwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times, then backing west 4 or 5 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
West veering northwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
West veering northwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
West veering northwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state
Very rough or high.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
West veering northwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state
Very rough or high in northwest, rough or very rough in southeast.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
West veering northwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning
Issued:

Westerly gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind
West veering northwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state
Rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly later

Wind
Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind
Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
High at first in south, otherwise rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
High, becoming rough or very rough, then moderate or rough later.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning
Issued:

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in north and east, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
High, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Squally showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued:

Wind
Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southeast.
Sea state
Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in far southeast.
Weather
Fair.
Visibility
Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind
Northerly or northwesterly, veering northeasterly in south, mainly 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in northeast.
Sea state
High at first in north, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather
Showers.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor at first in north.

Sole

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, backing west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Showers, squally at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, backing west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
In southwest, very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later, but in northeast, rough or very rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers, squally at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, backing west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
In south, very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later, but in north, rough or very rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers, squally at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind
Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, backing west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state
Rough or very rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather
Showers, squally at first.
Visibility
Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
Northwest 6 to gale 8 backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state
High becoming very rough.
Weather
Squally showers then occasional rain.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly storm force 10, decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent, then gale force 8 soon

Wind
Northwest 7 to severe gale 9 backing west 4 to 6, then south or southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
High or very high becoming very rough or high, then rough or very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers, then rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind
Northwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, backing west 4 to 6, then south or southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
High or very high becoming very rough or high, then rough or very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers, then rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
Northwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, backing west 4 to 6, then south or southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
High or very high becoming very rough or high, then rough or very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers, then rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Bailey

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly storm force 10, decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent, then gale force 8 soon

Wind
Northwest 7 to severe gale 9 backing west 4 to 6, then south or southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state
High or very high becoming very rough or high, then rough or very rough later.
Weather
Squally showers, then rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Squally wintry showers.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Faeroes

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind
Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later, then backing southerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather
Squally wintry showers, then rain later.
Visibility
Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning
Issued:

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind
Northwesterly 6 to gale 8 backing westerly 3 to 5, then southerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state
Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather
Snow showers, then rain or sleet later.
Visibility
Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.

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.