Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
High Rockall 1031 expected Cromarty 1032 by 0600 tomorrow. Low Biscay 1021 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in north, becoming slight in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later. In west, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In east, smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate. in west, smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later. In west, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In east, smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate. in west, smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- Northeast 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- North 2 to 4 veering northeast 4 or 5, then east 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- North 2 to 4 veering northeast 4 or 5, then east 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 4 or less becoming east or northeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 4 or less becoming east or northeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 4 or less becoming east or northeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 4 or less becoming east or northeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- East 3 or 4, veering southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- East 3 or 4, veering southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor later.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 4 or less.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming slight later in northeast.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Easterly 6 to gale 8 in far southeast, otherwise northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in southeast.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming south or southeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog banks.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly east, becoming south or southeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog banks.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Fastnet
- Wind
- East or northeast 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- North or northwest 2 to 4, veering east or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers later in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later in south.
Shannon
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less at first in north, otherwise northeasterly 4 to 6 veering easterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Malin
- Wind
- Northeasterly 4 to 6 veering easterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, but smooth or slight in southeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5 at first in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Bailey
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5 at first in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Westerly backing southwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- 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.