Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low 100 miles east of Iceland 991 expected Faeroes 996 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- South 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Humber
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, backing west 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, backing west 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- North 2 to 4, backing northwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic becoming northeasterly 4 to 6. In north, northerly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough in west. in north, moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- In south, showers, thundery at first. In north, showers at first.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally moderate. In north, good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic becoming northeasterly 4 to 6. In north, northerly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough in west. in north, moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- In south, showers, thundery at first. In north, showers at first.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally moderate. In north, good.
Sole
- Wind
- North 3 to 5, backing northwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, backing west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, backing west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, backing west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in north.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but moderate or rough in far east.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but moderate or rough in far east.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 imminent, veering northwesterly later
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally high in southwest.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far west.
- Weather
- Rain at first, then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northwest becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but northerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwesterly becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, then northerly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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.
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