Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Low Shannon 1003 expected Malin 1001 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Cromarty
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Forth
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Tyne
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Dogger
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.
Fisher
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- East 4 to 6, veering south or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Southwesterly at first in north, otherwise westerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough at times in far northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Sole
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough at times in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- South or southeast, veering southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- South or southeast, veering southwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- East or southeast, veering southerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northeast backing north, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in northeast.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly east or northeast at first, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Northeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, backing northerly later
- Wind
- In southeast, northeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. In northwest, variable, becoming northerly later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, rain or showers, perhaps thundery. In northwest, showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally poor later. In northwest, good.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, backing northerly later
- Wind
- In southeast, northeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. In northwest, variable, becoming northerly later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate.
- Weather
- In southeast, rain or showers, perhaps thundery. In northwest, showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good, occasionally poor later. In northwest, good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, but slight in northwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- 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.