Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Low west Atlantic 990 expected Rockall 981 by midday tomorrow. Lows Bailey 1000 and east Scotland 998 losing their identities
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog banks.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, fog banks.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate, occasionally very poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In southeast, westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 5 to 7. In northwest, westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough becoming very rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers then rain. In northwest, rain then showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally poor. In northwest, moderate or good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate at first.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In southeast, westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 5 to 7. In northwest, westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough becoming very rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers then rain. In northwest, rain then showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally poor. In northwest, moderate or good.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lundy
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, backing southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, backing southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in south.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally very poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.