Shipping forecast and gale warnings (2024)

Coast and sea

Printable version

The general synopsis at midnight

New low expected southwest of Iceland 993 by midnight tonight

Issued at:04:05 (UTC) on Tue 2 Jul 2024.

For the period06:00 (UTC) on Tue 2 Jul 2024to06:00 (UTC) on Wed 3 Jul 2024.

Select a sea area

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

iShipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 5 or 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 6 or 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

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

Cromarty

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Forth

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Tyne

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Dogger

Wind: Northwest backing west 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northeast.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Fisher

Wind: Northwest 6 or 7, backing west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

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

Humber

Wind: Northwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then west 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Northwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then west 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Northwest becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: Northwest becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: Northwest backing west 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest backing west 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: North or northwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
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 later in southeast. In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: In south, moderate, occasionally rough in south. in north, moderate.
Weather: In south, fair. In north, occasional drizzle.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming west 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: North 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Fastnet

Wind: North 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Irish Sea

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Shannon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming west 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Rockall

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, backing southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Wind: West backing southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southwesterly, backing southeasterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally 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.