Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Low just west of Rockall 1003, expected Viking 1000 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southerly 3 or 4 becoming cyclonic 5 or 6, becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly 3 or 4 becoming cyclonic 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southerly 3 or 4 becoming cyclonic 5 or 6, becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South 3 to 5 veering southwest 5 or 6, then veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South 3 to 5 veering southwest 5 or 6, then veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South 3 to 5 veering southwest 5 or 6, then veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South 3 to 5 veering southwest 5 or 6, then veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South 3 to 5 veering southwest 5 or 6, then veering west or northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming southwest 4 to 6, then veering northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming southwest 4 to 6, then veering northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 3 or 4 becoming southwest 4 to 6, then veering northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 5 or 6, but 6 to gale 8 except in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough except in south.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northeasterly soon
- Wind
- Northeasterly 6 to gale 8, but westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate in north, rough or very rough in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 or 6, veering northwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 or 6, veering northwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 or 6, veering northwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8 veering northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7 veering northwest 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering westerly soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly later
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming westerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southeast becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then becoming northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming westerly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in east.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming westerly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain 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.
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