Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Developing low moving steadily northeastwards, expected 400 miles northeast of Iceland 991 by 1800 Thursday. High mid-Atlantic 1035 slow moving, declining 1034 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- North backing west 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 or 6, backing westerly 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Northwest backing west later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5, backing west 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in north.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, but northerly 4 or 5 in far west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers in north.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, but variable 2 to 4 in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in far southeast.
Sole
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- North 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northwest backing west 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- Northwest backing west 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally 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.