Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
High 600 miles west of northern Scotland 1030 slow-moving, intensifying 1031 by 0600 tomorrow. Low west FitzRoy 1017 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth at first in west, otherwise slight, but becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4 increasing 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 in west but becoming variable 2 to 4 in east.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in west.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming north 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming north 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming north 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming north 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming north 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 2 to 4, increasing 5 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later in northwest.
- Weather
- Thundery showers developing.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers developing.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Thames
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in north.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable becoming northwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Variable, becoming westerly or northwesterly, 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in far southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Sole
- Wind
- East or northeast becoming variable mainly north, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in east.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- East or northeast becoming variable mainly north, 2 to 4, occasionally 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- East or northeast becoming variable mainly north, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- East or northeast becoming variable mainly north, 2 to 4, occasionally 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first, increasing 6 at times later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 2 to 4 backing northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first in east, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming north or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in far southeast, otherwise moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming north 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in west, and later also in east.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in far north but becoming rough for a time in west.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- 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.
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.