Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
New low expected Norwegian Basin 994 by midday tomorrow.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, decreasing 2 to 4, becoming mainly northerly later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, decreasing 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, decreasing 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- West or northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- West or northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- West or northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 6 or 7, increasing 7 or gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 6 or 7, increasing 7 or gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, but becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast, backing northerly or northwesterly, 3 or 4 later . In north, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic, 3 to 5 later in east.
- Sea state
- In south, mainly moderate. in north, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, showers . In north, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast, backing northerly or northwesterly, 3 or 4 later . In north, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic, 3 to 5 later in east.
- Sea state
- In south, mainly moderate. in north, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, showers . In north, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic, 3 to 5 later in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first and 3 later,.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first and 3 later,.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate, except in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northwest, 5 to 7, decreasing 4 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 now veered northwesterly
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gales now ceased but westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gales now ceased but northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly west or southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough, except in southeast.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
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.