Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Low Norwegian Basin 980 moving away slowly northeastwards
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- West or northwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate later in south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in northeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, slight in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Humber
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Thames
- Wind
- West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time, then occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first in south, then drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough later in north.
- Weather
- Showers, then drizzle for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first and rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in northeast, moderate or rough in southwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 at first in northeast, otherwise westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Malin
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 veering westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Hebrides
- Wind
- West 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in south.
Bailey
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in south.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In northeast, northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later. In southwest, cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In northeast, rough or very rough. in southwest, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In northeast, occasional rain. In southwest, showers.
- Visibility
- In northeast, moderate or good. In southwest, good.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In northeast, northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later. In southwest, cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In northeast, rough or very rough. In southwest, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In northeast, occasional rain. In southwest, showers.
- Visibility
- In northeast, moderate or good. In southwest, good.
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.