Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 0600

Low 150 miles west of south FitzRoy 1011 expected just west of Trafalgar 1013 by 0600 tomorrow. New high expected Wight 1025 by same time. Low southeast Rockall 1008 losing its identity

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Sat 27 Jul 2024.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Sat 27 Jul 2024 to 12:00 (UTC) on Sun 28 Jul 2024.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southwest veering west, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in north and west.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly, 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly, 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 later in east.
Sea state: Slight, becoming moderate later in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first, becoming fair later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first, becoming fair later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first, becoming fair later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first, becoming fair later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first, becoming fair later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Fisher

Wind: Southwesterly veering northwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 5 or 6 later in northeast.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later in northeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

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

Humber

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

Thames

Wind: Variable becoming mainly northwest, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5 veering northwest 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5 veering northwest 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5 veering northwest 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southwest, smooth or slight in northeast.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5 veering northwest 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: North or northwest 2 to 4 veering northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, moderate throughout in west.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Fri 26 Jul 2024

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 in southeast, otherwise northerly or northwesterly, becoming cyclonic later in northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in south.
Weather: Fog patches in east, thundery showers later in northwest.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in east and poor later in northwest.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, easterly or northeasterly, backing northerly in southeast, 4 to 6. In north, variable 2 to 4 becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: In south, rain or thundery showers, becoming fair later. In north, showers then fair.
Visibility: In south, moderate or good, occasionally poor. In north, good.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough at first in west, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Showers then fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers then fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly in east but northwesterly in west, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Rough at first in southwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers then fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: South or southwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in south.
Weather: Showers then fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Wind: Northwesterly backing southerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 later in west.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers then fair.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: Northwesterly backing southerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 later in west.
Sea state: Rough at first in south, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Showers then fair.
Visibility: Good.

Malin

Wind: Variable, becoming southwest later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate in west, slight or moderate in east.
Weather: Showers then fair.
Visibility: Good.

Hebrides

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Bailey

Wind: West or southwest, backing south later, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Faeroes

Wind: West or southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Westerly backing southwesterly mainly 4 to 6, but 3 at first in north.
Sea state: Rough at first in south, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Showers, fog patches at first in north.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in north.

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.