Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low Shannon 1004 slow-moving with little change by midnight tonight. Low France 1009 expected Wight 1008 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Variable, becoming easterly later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable, becoming easterly later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Variable, becoming easterly later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Cromarty
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Forth
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Tyne
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Dogger
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Fisher
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- East, veering southeast later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Southwesterly at first in north, otherwise westerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first in east.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first in east, becoming rough at times later in west.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- South or southeast, veering southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers, fog patches developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- South or southeast, veering southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers, fog patches developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly, veering southerly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, thundery later, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times, but occasionally 7 at first in far north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- In southeast, northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later. In northwest, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, occasionally rough later. in northwest, moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Bailey
- Wind
- In southeast, northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later. In northwest, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, occasionally rough later. in northwest, moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 4 to 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 4 to 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- 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.