Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low Hebrides 1002 expected southern Sweden 999 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- In northeast, cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9. In southwest, westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In northeast, slight or moderate becoming rough or very rough. in southwest, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- In northeast, moderate or good, occasionally poor at first. In southwest, good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- In northeast, cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9. In southwest, westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In northeast, slight or moderate becoming rough or very rough. in southwest, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- In northeast, moderate or good, occasionally poor at first. In southwest, good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6 veering northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
German Bight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6 veering northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough in north but moderate or rough in south.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Humber
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 becoming variable 2 to 4, then northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time in north and east.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Thames
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 becoming variable 2 to 4, then northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 becoming variable 2 to 4, then northwest 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Wight
- Wind
- West 4 to 6 veering northwest 3 to 5, then north 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Portland
- Wind
- West 4 to 6 veering northwest 3 to 5, then north 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West 4 to 6 veering northwest 3 to 5, then north 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Biscay
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northeasterly soon
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly mainly 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 until later in north, and veering easterly 5 to 7 later in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough until later in north, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northeasterly soon
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly 6 to gale 8. In north, westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far southwest. in north, moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, drizzle and fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, moderate to very poor, becoming good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northeasterly soon
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly 6 to gale 8. In north, westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far southwest. in north, moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, drizzle and fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, moderate to very poor, becoming good.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle and fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, becoming good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle and fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, becoming good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle and fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, becoming good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight, then occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7 backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 now veered northwesterly
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7 backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7 backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- 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.
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