Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Low North Utsire 987 expected South Utsire 994 by 1800 Friday
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 now backed northwesterly and decreased gale force 8
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 in east.
- Sea state
- Very rough, becoming rough in east, and later also in west.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor becoming moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in east, moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in northeast, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4 in northeast.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in far west, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in far northwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in southwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- North backing northwest, then west later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain in west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 now backed northwesterly
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In east, northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later. In west, northerly 4 or 5, veering northeasterly 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- In east, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later. in west, moderate.
- Weather
- In east, occasional rain or showers. In west, showers.
- Visibility
- In east, moderate or good. In west, good.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In east, northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later. In west, northerly 4 or 5, veering northeasterly 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- In east, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later. in west, moderate.
- Weather
- In east, occasional rain or showers. In west, showers.
- Visibility
- In east, moderate or good. In west, good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
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.