Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
High southwest Wales 1031 expected 100 miles west of FitzRoy 1029 by midnight tonight. Low Iceland 979 expected 250 miles northeast of Iceland 977 by same time. New low expected 50 miles south of Iceland 984 by that time.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in the north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in the north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Westerly 3 or 4 backing southwesterly 5 or 6, increasing 7 for a time in northeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Westerly 3 or 4 backing southwesterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming west or southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming west or southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- In north, variable 3 or 4. In south, northeasterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- In north, smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first. in south, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In north, mainly fair. In south, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In north, mainly good. In south, mainly good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- In north, variable 3 or 4. In south, northeasterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- In north, smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first. in south, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In north, mainly fair. In south, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In north, mainly good. In south, mainly good.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, northeasterly 4 or 5. In south, cyclonic 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate. in south, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In north, mainly fair. In south, showers close to spain, perhaps thundery at times.
- Visibility
- In north, mainly good. In south, moderate or good, perhaps poor at times close to spain.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, northeasterly 4 or 5. In south, cyclonic 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate. in south, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In north, mainly fair. In south, showers close to spain, perhaps thundery at times.
- Visibility
- In north, mainly good. In south, moderate or good, perhaps poor at times close to spain.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 5 or 6. In northwest, variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers close to spain, perhaps thundery at times. In northwest, rain or showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good, perhaps poor at times close to spain. In northwest, moderate or good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers close to spain, perhaps thundery at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, perhaps poor at times close to spain.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 5 or 6. In northwest, variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers close to spain, perhaps thundery at times. In northwest, rain or showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good, perhaps poor at times close to spain. In northwest, moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming west or southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming west or southwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in north.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first and again later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first and again later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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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