Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
High western France 1030 expected Germany 1030 by 0600 tomorrow. Low 150 miles northeast of Iceland 969 expected to move away northeast by same time. New low expected 100 miles west of Shannon 999 by that time.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain or showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, occasionally 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6 veering west 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6 veering west 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6 veering west 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6 veering west 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Humber
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6 veering west 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Thames
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 backing southeasterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 backing southeasterly 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 backing southeasterly 4 or 5. In south, easterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first. in south, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In north, rain at first. In south, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In north, moderate or good. In south, moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, southerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 backing southeasterly 4 or 5. In south, easterly 4 or 5, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- In north, slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first. in south, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In north, rain at first. In south, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In north, moderate or good. In south, moderate or good.
Trafalgar (issued 00:15 UTC)
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly, veering southeasterly later in northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers in west.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 3 or 4. In northwest, southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5 increasing 6 or 7.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, rain later.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good. In northwest, moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 3 or 4. In northwest, southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5 increasing 6 or 7.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, rain later.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good. In northwest, moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5 increasing 6 or 7. In east, southwesterly 4 or 5 backing southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later. in east, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In west, rain later. In east, rain at first.
- Visibility
- In west, moderate or good. In east, moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5 increasing 6 or 7. In east, southwesterly 4 or 5 backing southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later. in east, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In west, rain later. In east, rain at first.
- Visibility
- In west, moderate or good. In east, moderate or good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5 backing southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5 backing southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5 backing southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5 backing southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in the west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5 backing southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in the west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwest backing south or southeast 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwest backing south or southeast 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 backing southerly later
- Wind
- Southwest backing south 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 for a time, becoming cyclonic later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwest backing south 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Squally showers at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 backing southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
- Weather
- Squally showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8 backing southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
- Weather
- Squally showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or 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.
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