Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Low Viking 1000 expected southern Sweden 1000 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in south, backing westerly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, backing westerly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in northeast, then backing southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough , occasionally very rough at first in northeast, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8 backing southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in northeast, backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 or 5 in southwest.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northeasterly soon
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly mainly 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 until later in north, and veering easterly 5 to 7 later in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough until later in north, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 in north. In north, northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far southwest. in north, moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good, occasionally very poor later.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 in north. In north, northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far southwest. in north, moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good, occasionally very poor later.
Sole
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor later.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 or 5 at times in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor later.
Rockall
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8 backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or 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.
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.