Coast and sea
The general synopsis at midnight
Low Sole 989 expected Fastnet 994 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
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Viking
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, decreasing 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, decreasing 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor, but very poor later.
Dogger
- Wind
- In west, southeasterly 3 to 5, decreasing 2 or 3 later. In east, southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate occasionally slight. in east, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In west, rain, fog patches later. In east, showers.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally poor, but very poor. In east, good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Southeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor, but very poor later.
Thames
- Wind
- Southeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Southeast 2 to 4, becoming variable.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Southeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly southeast, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly southeast, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northwest, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but very rough in far southwest.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- East or southeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in south and moderate later in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in southeast.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northeast and slight in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain, clearing later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
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.