Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Atlantic low moving rapidly northeast, expected just west of Sole 990 by midday tomorrow. Low Cromarty 982 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
Forties
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west for a time, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west for a time, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west for a time, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west for a time, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering west for a time, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West 6 or 7, backing southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing southwesterly, 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In southeast, northwesterly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later. In northwest, northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, rough, occasionally very rough at first. in northwest, rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers. In northwest, showers then rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally moderate. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In southeast, northwesterly backing southwesterly, 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 later. In northwest, northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, rough, occasionally very rough at first. in northwest, rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers. In northwest, showers then rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally moderate. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, backing southwest, then south later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, backing southwest, then south later, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, backing southwest, then south later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- West backing southwest, 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8, backing south or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- West 6 to gale 8, backing south or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough until later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7, backing southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Variable 3 at first in northeast, otherwise westerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south, backing southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far west.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far south.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- 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).
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.
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