Coast and sea
The general synopsis at midday
Low Fair Isle 987 expected German Bight 990 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
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Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northeasterly backing northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northeasterly backing northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northeasterly backing northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In northeast, northeasterly backing northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times. In southwest, northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, then decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In northeast, snow showers. In southwest, wintry showers.
- Visibility
- In northeast, good, occasionally very poor. In southwest, good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, then decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in west, moderate or rough in east.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, then decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, then decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic then northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic then northwesterly 4 to 6, then increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- North or northeast backing northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Wight
- Wind
- North or northeast backing northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Portland
- Wind
- North or northeast backing northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Plymouth
- Wind
- North or northeast backing northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Biscay
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Storm force 10 veering northwesterly and decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough, then becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, but westerly 4 to 6 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly storm force 10 now decreased severe gale force 9, decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Northwesterly mainly 4 to 6, but 7 to severe gale 9 at first in east, becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming southerly 6 to gale 8 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in east, then becoming moderate later in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Northwesterly mainly 4 to 6, but 7 to severe gale 9 at first in east, becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming southerly 6 to gale 8 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, backing west 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, backing west 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing west 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southerly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 for a time, perhaps gale 8 later in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then becoming south 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 now veered northerly, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- High at first in south, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in west, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 veering northeasterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- 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.
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