Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Low south FitzRoy 1004 expected west Plymouth 1007 by midday tomorrow. High Forties 1025 moving away northeastwards
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable becoming east or northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming northeast later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- In east, cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first. In west, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In east, mainly moderate, occasionally rough at first. in west, moderate.
- Weather
- In east, thundery showers. In west, showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming west or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Sole
- Wind
- In east, cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first. In west, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In east, mainly moderate, occasionally rough at first. in west, moderate.
- Weather
- In east, thundery showers. In west, showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- East or northeast, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Fastnet
- Wind
- East or northeast, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers later in south.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 in southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in northwest.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in northwest, otherwise moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Malin
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in northwest, otherwise moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Bailey
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in northwest, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in west.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southerly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times, 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.