Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

New low expected just southwest of FitzRoy 1009 by 1800 Saturday

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Fri 26 Jul 2024.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Sat 27 Jul 2024 to 00:00 (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 later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

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

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly veering northwesterly later, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later in southeast.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Southwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Westerly veering northwesterly later, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later in northeast.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far northeast.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Southwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers later, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Humber

Wind: Southwest becoming variable, then becoming northwest later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers later, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Thames

Wind: Southwest becoming variable, then becoming northwest later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers later, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Dover

Wind: Northwesterly in south, otherwise westerly or southwesterly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Northwesterly in south, otherwise westerly or southwesterly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Northwesterly in south, otherwise westerly or southwesterly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in west, otherwise smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwesterly in south, otherwise westerly or southwesterly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, veering northeasterly 4 or 5 later in south and east.
Sea state: Moderate, but slight at first in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

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, northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. In north, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, veering northerly or northeasterly 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: In south, moderate, occasionally rough later. in north, moderate, occasionally rough at first in west.
Weather: In south, rain or thundery showers. In north, showers.
Visibility: In south, moderate or good, occasionally poor. In north, good.

Sole

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, veering northerly or northeasterly 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in west.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: West or southwest, veering northwest later 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: West or southwest, veering northwest later 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time in southwest.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in south.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest veering northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Rockall

Wind: Southwest veering northwest for a time, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough at first in south, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Malin

Wind: Southwest, becoming variable, then west later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Hebrides

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough west.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches in north.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor 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.