Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 0600
Low Viking 993 expected southern Norway 999 by 0600 tomorrow. Low Fastnet 996 expected German Bight 1000 by same time. New low expected Shannon 999 by that time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- In northeast, cyclonic becoming northerly later, 4 to 6. In southwest, variable, becoming northerly or northwesterly for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In northeast, moderate occasionally slight. in southwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northeast, showers. In southwest, showers.
- Visibility
- In northeast, good. In southwest, good.
Forties
- Wind
- In northeast, cyclonic becoming northerly later, 4 to 6. In southwest, variable, becoming northerly or northwesterly for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In northeast, moderate occasionally slight. in southwest, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northeast, showers. In southwest, showers.
- Visibility
- In northeast, good. In southwest, good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable, becoming northerly or northwesterly for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable, becoming northerly or northwesterly for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable, becoming northerly or northwesterly for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable, then west or northwest later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable, then west or northwest later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Southwest becoming cyclonic, then west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Southwest becoming cyclonic, then west later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South 5 or 6, veering southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Dover
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South 5 or 6, veering southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Wight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South 5 or 6, veering southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
- Weather
- Rain then showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Portland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west, then backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Plymouth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west, then backing southwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Biscay
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, thundery later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Lundy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south, backing southerly then southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly northwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south, backing southerly then southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in south, becoming southerly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in south.
- Weather
- Thundery rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Westerly backing southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in south.
- Weather
- Thundery rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Northeast becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Malin
- Wind
- Northeast becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Wind
- In south, northeast becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5. In north, northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In south, occasional rain . In north, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally moderate. In north, good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Wind
- In south, northeast becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5. In north, northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In south, occasional rain . In north, occasional rain.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally moderate. In north, good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Variable, mainly northeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mainly 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.
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