Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
New high expected Biscay 1027 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5, backing southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5, backing southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5, backing southerly 5 to 7, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later in, veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later, veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first and rough later.
- Weather
- Rain until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Forth
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
- Weather
- Rain until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Tyne
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
- Weather
- Rain until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Dogger
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, veering west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain until later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor until later.
Fisher
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, backing south or southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, backing south or southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 or 5 in northwest. In south, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate, becoming rough in far northwest. in south, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far southeast.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 or 5 in northwest. In south, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate, becoming rough in far northwest. in south, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in east, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate throughout in east, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 or 4 at first in southeast, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later, veering northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast, becoming very rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- 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.
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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