Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Low Rockall 1006 expected northwest highlands 1007 by midday tomorrow. Low in Norwegian Basin 996 expected to north of Norwegian Basin 997 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5 at first in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly 4 or 5 later in far south.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly 4 or 5 later in far south.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, perhaps thundery, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- South or southwest 2 to 4, veering west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
German Bight
- Wind
- South or southwest 2 to 4, veering west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west 3 to 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering west or northwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering west or northwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering west or northwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering west or northwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering west or northwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first in northwest.
- Visibility
- Good.
Sole
- Wind
- Northwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Lundy
- Wind
- West veering northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West veering northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West veering northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- West veering northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later, becoming west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate or poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later, becoming west 4 or 5 later. In north, northerly backing northwesterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate occasionally rough in south.
- Weather
- In south, rain or showers, perhaps thundery. In north, showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally moderate or poor. In north, good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later, becoming west 4 or 5 later. In north, northerly backing northwesterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough. in north, moderate occasionally rough in south.
- Weather
- In south, rain or showers, perhaps thundery. In north, showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally moderate or poor. In north, good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northerly backing northwesterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate, perhaps poor later.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- 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.