Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low Gulf of Bothnia 988 expected eastern South Utsire 987 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 for a time in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5 increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in west but rough or very rough in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming moderate or rough, then rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming moderate or rough, then rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming moderate or rough, then rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwest 5 or 6 becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, then decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming rough, then becoming very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Humber
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 veering north or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 veering north or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 veering north or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in northeast, moderate or rough in southwest.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in southwest, rough or very rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first in south and 7 later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough except in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, then decreasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Wind
- North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, then decreasing 4 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less in west.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in south, otherwise moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate at first in southeast, otherwise moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in east and 4 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in far east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northerly 4 or 5 in east but variable 2 to 4 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
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.