The general synopsis at midnight
Low Ireland 983 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later in north.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northeast backing north or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in west.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Northeast backing north or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in west.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Northeast backing north or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, snow or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight in east.
- Weather
- Rain, snow or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight in east.
- Weather
- Rain, snow or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, snow or wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Thames
- Wind
- East 2 to 4 backing northeast 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming northeast 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming northeast 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate until later in southeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming northeast 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northerly or northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, then decreasing 6 again later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in northeast, becoming very rough or high in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northerly or northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- In east, cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northerly or northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9. In west, northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- In east, rough or very rough becoming very rough or high. in west, rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time.
- Weather
- In east, rain or showers. In west, thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- In west, northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later. In east, cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northerly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time.
- Weather
- In west, thundery showers. In east, rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northerly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northerly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northeast 6 to gale 8, backing northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northerly soon
- Wind
- North 6 to gale 8 becoming variable 2 to 4, then south 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northeasterly mainly 4 to 6, but 7 at first in southeast, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in south, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Northerly becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 3.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northerly becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northwest and 3 in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Northerly becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 3.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northerly becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 3.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northerly becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very 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.