Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Low moving steadily northeast, expected 150 miles southwest of Iceland 983 by 1800 Thursday. High 250 miles west of FitzRoy 1033 slow-moving with little change by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. In west, northwesterly, backing southerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate occasionally rough. in west, moderate.
- Weather
- In east, squally showers. In west, showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- In east, northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. In west, northwesterly, backing southerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In east, moderate occasionally rough. in west, moderate.
- Weather
- In east, squally showers. In west, showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing southerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing southerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing southerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing southerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in east.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- North or northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 in far southeast, otherwise northeasterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in far southeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southeast. In north, northerly backing westerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southeast. In north, northerly backing westerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Sole
- Wind
- Northwest backing west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Lundy
- Wind
- Northwest backing west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate for a time.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Northwest backing west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate for a time.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northwest backing west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic, then west later, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic, then west later, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Northwest backing south or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming south or southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming south or southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly, then cyclonic later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly, then cyclonic later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Showers then 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.
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