Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Low southeastern Iceland 935 moving away rather quickly northeastwards
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 veering westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 veering westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly 5 to 7 veering southwesterly 4 to 6, then westerly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering southwesterly imminent
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in north.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 now veered southwesterly
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Forth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 now veered southwesterly
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Tyne
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in northwest, slight or moderate in southeast.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Drizzle at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- South or southwest, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Drizzle, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough except in far south and far east.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle in north, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Mainly northeasterly 3 to 5, but easterly 5 to 7 in far southeast and variable 2 in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in south, moderate throughout in north.
- Weather
- Fog patches in east.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor in east.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, southwesterly 5 to 7 veering northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, fog patches. In northwest, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally very poor. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, southwesterly 5 to 7 veering northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, fog patches. In northwest, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally very poor. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7 veering northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7 veering northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7 veering northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in southwest, moderate or rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 now veered southwesterly and decreased gale force 8
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8 at first in southeast, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Mainly very rough, but occasionally high at first and rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Storm force 10 now veered southwesterly and decreased gale fore 8
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Very high at first in northwest, otherwise very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly violent storm force 11 decreasing storm force 10 imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Southwest gale 8 to storm 10 veering west 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- High or very high, becoming very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- High until later in northwest, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent
- Wind
- Southwesterly gale 8 to storm 10 becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- High or very high, becoming very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Poor, becoming moderate later.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly violent storm force 11 decreasing storm force 10 imminent
- Wind
- Southwesterly gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Phenomenal at first in east, otherwise high or very high, becoming very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Poor, becoming moderate later.
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.
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