Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Atlantic low 1006 moving slowly northeast, expected 100 miles west of Sole 1003 by midnight tonight. High Wales 1022 dissipating
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north, backing southwesterly 2 or 3 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, backing southwesterly 2 or 3 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- West 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate later in north.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northeast becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Thundery showers later in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later in south.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers later in northwest.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later in northwest.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in southeast, otherwise southeasterly veering southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far northwest.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, but fair at first in east.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, veering southerly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers in west.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in north.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, veering southerly 3 to 5 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- In south, easterly 5 to 7. In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in south.
- Weather
- In south, rain at times. In north, showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in south.
Rockall
- Wind
- In south, easterly 5 to 7. In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in south.
- Weather
- In south, rain at times. In north, showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in south.
Malin
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Bailey
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northerly 4 to 6, but variable 2 to 4 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Showers in east.
- Visibility
- Good.
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.