Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 0600

Low Denmark Strait 995 expected southwest of Iceland 989 by 0600 tomorrow. High 300 miles west of Azores 1033 slow-moving with little change

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Tue 2 Jul 2024.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 2 Jul 2024 to 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 3 Jul 2024.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

South Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 6 or 7, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Northwest, backing west, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: West, backing southwest, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: West, backing southwest, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: West, backing southwest, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: Northwest, backing west, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northeast.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, backing west 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, backing west 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in north.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Northwest, backing southwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Northwest, backing southwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight occasionally smooth.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight occasionally smooth.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: Northwest 2 to 4, backing west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest 2 to 4, backing west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Northwest, backing west, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Mon 1 Jul 2024

Wind: Northerly 5 or 6, but variable 2 to 4 in far southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in far southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, northerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in east. In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly 4 or 5.
Sea state: In south, moderate, occasionally rough in east. in north, moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: In south, fair. In north, mainly fair.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, good occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair then occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest, veering northwest, 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Southwest, veering west, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Southwest, veering west, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southwest, backing southeast later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest, backing southeast later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southerly, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or 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.