
The general synopsis at midday
Low Portland 1002 moving slowly south, losing its identity by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, veering southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good becoming poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly 3 or less, increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming poor later.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southeasterly, veering southwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
Forties
- Wind
- In northeast, southeasterly, veering southwesterly, 4 to 6. In southwest, variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- In northeast, rough, becoming moderate, occasionally slight later. in southwest, moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- In northeast, showers. In southwest, fair.
- Visibility
- In northeast, good, occasionally moderate later. In southwest, good occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable, becoming southwesterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable, becoming southwesterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- In south, variable, becoming southwesterly, 2 to 4. In north, easterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 4.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate becoming slight. in north, moderate or rough, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- In south, showers. In north, showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good occasionally moderate. In north, good.
German Bight
- Wind
- East or northeast, becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Humber
- Wind
- East or northeast, becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable, becoming north or northeast, 2 to 4, increasing 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable, becoming north or northeast, 2 to 4, increasing 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable, becoming north or northeast, 2 to 4, increasing 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable, becoming north or northeast, 2 to 4, increasing 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- North 5 to 7, decreasing 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight in northeast.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming north 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming rough, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- North or northwest 6 or 7, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, but slight or moderate in southeast.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- North 6 or 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- North 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- North 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- North 4 to 6, backing west or northwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- North 3 to 5, backing southwest 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- North, backing southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good becoming poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west later, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good becoming poor.
Malin
- Wind
- North, backing southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming poor later.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west later, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west later, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Variable 4, becoming southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good becoming poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet.
- Visibility
- Moderate occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or sleet.
- Visibility
- Moderate 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.
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.