Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
High 200 miles west of Rockall 1033 slow-moving, intensifying 1036 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, then 3 or 4 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in east and 7 at first in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later, occasionally slight later in northwest.
- Weather
- Drizzle later in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later in west.
Cromarty
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Forth
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Tyne
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Dogger
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Fisher
- Wind
- In west, northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first. In east, cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate or rough. in east, moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- In west, fair. In east, thundery showers at first.
- Visibility
- In west, good. In east, good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- In west, northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first. In east, cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate or rough. in east, moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- In west, fair. In east, thundery showers at first.
- Visibility
- In west, good. In east, good, occasionally moderate.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Humber
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northeasterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in south, increasing 7 at times later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in south.
- Weather
- Thundery showers in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in south.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Cyclonic in far south, otherwise northeasterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in south, increasing 7 at times later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in east.
- Weather
- Thundery showers in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in south.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Sole
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first in south.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in north and slight at first in south.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far southeast.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Mainly variable 2 to 4 in northeast, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle, fog patches in northeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in northeast.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Mainly variable 2 to 4 in northeast, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in southwest.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle, fog patches in northeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in northeast.
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.