Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Low just west of Iceland 975 expected 200 miles west of Iceland 989 by 1800 Friday. High Biscay 1029 expected north Germany 1032 by same time.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Forties
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Cromarty
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Forth
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Fisher
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, but variable 2 to 4 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic in southeast, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in far southeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In northwest, southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In northwest, southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Sole
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west for a time, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in west, becoming cyclonic later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate later in east.
- Weather
- Showers, squally at times.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, squally 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.