Coast and sea
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The general synopsis at midday
Developing Atlantic low expected 150 miles west of Rockall 1003 by midday tomorrow
Issued at:.
For the periodto.
iShipping forecast and gale warnings explained
Viking
- Wind
- Southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable, mainly west, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable, mainly west, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Variable, mainly west, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable, mainly west, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable, mainly west, 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in west.
Portland
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in far southeast, and also at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in north.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, westerly veering northerly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in southeast. In north, variable 3 or 4, becoming westerly 5 at times.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate. in north, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches in north.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4, becoming westerly 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4, becoming westerly 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4, becoming westerly 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in northeast, but elsewhere moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4, becoming westerly 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest 3 or 4, backing southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, becoming good for a time.
Rockall
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, backing south 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, backing south 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, backing south 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in southeast, elsewhere moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in northwest, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but becoming very rough for a time in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches, showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, then decreasing 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain with fog patches, showers 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).
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
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.
