Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Atlantic low 931 moving steadily northeast, expected Norwegian Sea 952 by midday tomorrow.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly severe gale force 9 continuing
- Wind
- Southerly 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly severe gale force 9 continuing
- Wind
- Southerly 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasional poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 now veered northwesterly, backing southerly soon
- Wind
- South 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southerly southerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- South 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southerly southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- South 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Dogger
- Wind
- South 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Fisher
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
German Bight
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Humber
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Thames
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Dover
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Southeast, becoming west later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- In southeast, northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southeast. In northwest, northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate occasionally rough. in northwest, moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, southwesterly 5 to 7, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough, occasionally very rough at first in northwest.
- Weather
- In southeast, drizzle. In northwest, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally poor. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, southwesterly 5 to 7, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough, occasionally very rough at first in northwest.
- Weather
- In southeast, drizzle. In northwest, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally poor. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 now veered southwesterly and decreased gale force 8
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally high at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Storm force 10 now veered southwesterly and decreased gale fore 8
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Storm force 10 now veered southwesterly and decreased gale fore 8
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly violent storm force 11 continuing
- Wind
- Southwest severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, veering west 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Very high or phenomenal, becoming very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly storm force 10 now veered southwesterly and decreased severe gale force 9
- Wind
- Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly storm force 10 now veered southwesterly, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- West or southwest gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first, becoming rough or high later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly violent storm force 11 continuing
- Wind
- Cyclonic severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Very high or phenomenal, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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.