Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
New low expected 200 miles west of Bailey 985 by midday tomorrow. Low Norwegian Basin 997 losing its identity by same time.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6 becoming variable 3 or 4, then becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6 becoming variable 3 or 4, then becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6 becoming variable 3 or 4, then becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming cyclonic then west, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5 veering west or southwest 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Forth
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5 veering west or southwest 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5 veering west or southwest 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5 veering west or southwest 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in east.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Fisher
- Wind
- West becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then becoming west or southwest 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- West becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then becoming west or southwest 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 4 or 5 later in far south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less in far northwest, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south. In northwest, southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in far northwest.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate, occasionally rough later in far northwest.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south. In northwest, southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in far northwest.
- Sea state
- In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate, occasionally rough later in far northwest.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southeast becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming very rough later in south.
- Weather
- Rain then thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5 at first in northeast, otherwise variable 3 or 4 becoming southeast then cyclonic, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming southeast then cyclonic, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 or 4 at first in east, otherwise easterly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in far west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- 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.