Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
High Rockall 1031 expected Forties 1030 by 1800 Wednesday
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in north.
- 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 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in southwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor later.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5 for a time in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Trafalgar
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Easterly 6 to gale 8 at first in far southeast, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in southeast.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Variable becoming south or southwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog banks.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable becoming south or southwest, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog banks.
- Visibility
- Moderate to very poor, occasionally good.
Lundy
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6, veering south or southeast 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later, fog banks later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor later.
Fastnet
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6, veering south or southeast 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery later, fog banks later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate to very poor later.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- North or northeast veering east, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Shannon
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches developing in south.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in south.
Rockall
- Wind
- East or northeast veering southeast later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Malin
- Wind
- East or northeast veering southeast later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Variable becoming easterly or southeasterly, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Bailey
- Wind
- In south, variable becoming easterly or southeasterly, 2 to 4. In north, westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- In south, slight or moderate. in north, moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good.
Bailey
- Wind
- In south, variable becoming easterly or southeasterly, 2 to 4. In north, westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- In south, slight or moderate. in north, moderate.
- Weather
- In south, fair. In north, showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
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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