Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
New low expected Malin 1014 by 1800 Sunday. New high expected just northeast of Southeast Iceland 1019 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later except in east.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- West or northwest, becoming variable for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- West or northwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwesterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times in northeast.
- Sea state
- South or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 or 3 at first in southwest, otherwise northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable, mainly northwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming smooth in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- North 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- North 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- In northwest, northerly 4 to 6. In southeast, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In northwest, slight or moderate. in southeast, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northwest, fair. In southeast, showers.
- Visibility
- In northwest, good. In southeast, good.
Biscay
- Wind
- In northwest, northerly 4 to 6. In southeast, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- In northwest, slight or moderate. in southeast, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In northwest, fair. In southeast, showers.
- Visibility
- In northwest, good. In southeast, good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 in far southeast, elsewhere northerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in far southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in far south. In north, northerly, but southwesterly in west, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough in far south. in north, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In south, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in far south. In north, northerly, but southwesterly in west, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate, occasionally rough in far south. in north, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good.
Sole
- Wind
- Northerly, but southwesterly in west, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in far west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers, occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, veering west 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- South or southwest, becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Malin
- Wind
- South or southwest, becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches developing.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Bailey
- Wind
- Westerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 3 to 5 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 3 to 5 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
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.