The general synopsis at 1800
High Forties 1029 expected German Bight 1023 by 1800 Friday
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly 3 at first in southeast, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough in far north.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough later in north.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less at first in east, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in east, smooth or slight in west.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming south 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming south 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, backing west or southwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable, but mainly northeast at first, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable, but mainly northeast at first, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Thames
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in east and north.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in southwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly mainly 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, cyclonic mainly easterly 3 to 5. In north, easterly, backing northeasterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, thundery showers. In north, fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in south.
Sole
- Wind
- Easterly, backing northeasterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable mainly east 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable mainly east 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in northeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Wind
- In northwest, southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 later. In southeast, southerly veering southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In northwest, moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough. in southeast, moderate becoming rough.
- Weather
- In northwest, fair then rain. In southeast, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- In northwest, moderate or good. In southeast, good, occasionally moderate later.
Malin
- Wind
- Southerly veering southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southerly 3 to 5 at first in southeast, otherwise southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in southeast, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in east, very rough or high in west.
- Weather
- Rain then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in west.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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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