Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
New low expected Rockall 982 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally severe gale 9 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, then becoming rough or very rough later, occasionally high later in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally severe gale 9 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, then becoming rough or very rough later, occasionally high later in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, then becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less in far south, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 in southeast, otherwise westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming south or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming south or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming south or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwest later, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwest later, 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southeast 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches until later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor until later.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southeast 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches until later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor until later.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southeast 6 to gale 8, veering southwest then becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in far northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In east, southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later. In west, southeasterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate or rough. in west, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In east, occasional rain. In west, rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally poor. In west, moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In east, southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later. In west, southeasterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate or rough. in west, rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In east, occasional rain. In west, rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In east, good, occasionally poor. In west, moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, 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.