Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Low Thames 1021 expected Dogger 1019 by 1800 Sunday. New low expected just west of Trafalgar 991 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- East or southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- East or southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- East or southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- East or southeast becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southeast becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Southeast becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Southeast 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly, 4 to 6 at first in east, otherwise 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in west, veering southwesterly later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- In southwest, southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first. In northeast, southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- In southwest, moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough except in far east. in northeast, slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- In southwest, rain or thundery showers. In northeast, rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- In southwest, southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first. In northeast, southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- In southwest, moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough except in far east. in northeast, slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- In southwest, rain or thundery showers. In northeast, rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in east.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, then rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches in southeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in southeast.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Malin
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Bailey
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in far north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 at first in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- 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.
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.