The general synopsis at 1800
Low north Trafalgar 1003 expected southwest Trafalgar 1007 by 1800 Wednesday
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southeasterly mainly 4 to 6, but 3 at first in east.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in east, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair then occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4 increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4 increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- East 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- East 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in southeast, slight or moderate in northwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, increasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable mainly northeast 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 veering northerly soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic, 3 to 5 in east but 6 to gale 8 in west, occasionally severe gale 9 in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in east, very rough or high in west.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic mainly northeasterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times. In north, northeasterly, becoming cyclonic in west, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- In south, very rough at first in west, otherwise rough, but occasionally moderate later in north. in north, very rough at first in west, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, thundery showers. In north, rain at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor. In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Northeasterly, becoming cyclonic in west, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in west, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 or 5 at first in northeast, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in south.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming west or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6 backing south or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6 backing south or southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in west, moderate or rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6 backing south or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6 backing south or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in southeast, rough or very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 for a time, then occasionally gale 8 in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Very rough.
- 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.
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