Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low Iceland 964 expected just northeast of Iceland 975 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly 5 to 7, veering southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Forties
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
German Bight
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Humber
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
- Weather
- Thundery showers later in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later in west.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, but north 4 or 5 near portugal.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in far northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery in northwest.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first in north.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high in northwest, moderate or rough in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
- Sea state
- High or very high, becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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.
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.
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