Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
New lows expected Fair Isle 991 and Southeast Iceland 991 by 1800 Wednesday. Low Shannon 995 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, but 4 to 6 until later in northeast, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later, then occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 now backed easterly
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- In east, easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later. In west, southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- In east, rough or very rough occasionally moderate. in west, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- In east, occasional rain. In west, rain.
- Visibility
- In east, moderate or good. In west, good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- In east, easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later. In west, southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- In east, rough or very rough occasionally moderate. in west, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- In east, occasional rain. In west, rain.
- Visibility
- In east, moderate or good. In west, good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southeasterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- East or southeast 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
German Bight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, then southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected soon
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, then southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, then southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, then southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, becoming west 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first in east and high at first in west.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 imminent, veering northwesterly soon
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- In south, westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first. In north, northwesterly backing westerly, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- In south, rough, occasionally very rough in north. in north, very rough, occasionally high at first.
- Weather
- In south, showers. In north, squally showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- In south, westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first. In north, northwesterly backing westerly, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- In south, rough, occasionally very rough in north. in north, very rough, occasionally high at first.
- Weather
- In south, showers. In north, squally showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing westerly, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally high at first.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6 at first in northeast, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, veering westerly or northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in east.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, becoming west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- 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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