Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low Fair Isle 1006 expected to move away north or northeast over the Norwegian Sea by midnight tonight. New high expected just west of FitzRoy 1031 by same time. New low expected Iceland 979 by that time.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in the north, backing southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in the north, backing southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5 backing southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5 backing southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- West 5 or 6 backing southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Forth
- Wind
- West 5 or 6 backing southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Tyne
- Wind
- West 5 or 6 backing southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Dogger
- Wind
- West 5 or 6 backing southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Fisher
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 or 6 veering west 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
German Bight
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 or 6 veering west 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Humber
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northeasterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers close to spain, perhaps thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northeasterly 5 or 6, increasing 7 for a time. In northwest, variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers close to spain, perhaps thundery at times. In northwest, rain at first.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally poor. In northwest, moderate or good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers close to spain, perhaps thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northeasterly 5 or 6, increasing 7 for a time. In northwest, variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers close to spain, perhaps thundery at times. In northwest, rain at first.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally poor. In northwest, moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4, becoming south or southwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming south or southwest 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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.
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.