Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Low north of Faeroes 999 expected Scandinavia 1002 by 1800 Saturday. Low Trafalgar 1015 slow-moving with little change by same time. High FitzRoy 1029 dissipating
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, becoming northwesterly 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 3 or 4, becoming northwesterly 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, becoming northwesterly 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in west.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in west.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- West 5 to 7 veering northwest 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- West 5 to 7 veering northwest 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
German Bight
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Humber
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in west.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, occasionally 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later in north.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor at first.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later in north.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor at first.
Biscay
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight near france and rough at first in far southwest.
- Weather
- Fog patches in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor in north.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, but easterly 6 to gale 8 at first in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic 3 to 5. In north, easterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough at first. in north, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, thundery showers, fog patches. In north, drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally very poor. In north, good, occasionally very poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic 3 to 5. In north, easterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough at first. in north, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, thundery showers, fog patches. In north, drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally very poor. In north, good, occasionally very poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming easterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then east 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough at first in southwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West 5 to 7 veering northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight except in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first in far northeast, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- West 5 to 7 veering northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Malin
- Wind
- West 5 to 7 veering northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in southeast, otherwise very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7 veering northeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7 veering northeast 4 or 5, decreasing 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming north, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming north, 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northeasterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 4 or less.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very 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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