Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low Plymouth 974 expected netherlands 990 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing easterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing easterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing easterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, then northwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, then northwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, then northwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, then northwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Southeast 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, then northwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 imminent, backing southeasterly soon, backing northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Southeast becoming cyclonic then northwest, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering westerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Southeast becoming cyclonic then northwest, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 imminent, veering westerly and increasing violent storm force 11 soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first, backing west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high for a time at first.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Portland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 imminent, veering northwesterly and increasing violent storm force 11 soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first, backing west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming high for a time at first.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Plymouth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly violent storm force 11 continuing
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first, backing west 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- High or very high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Biscay
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly violent storm force 11 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- West or northwest gale 8 to storm 10 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- High or very high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Poor, becoming moderate or good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northwest veering northeast, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in north.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Violent storm force 11 veering northwesterly and decreasing storm force 10 imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- In south, northwesterly, backing southwesterly later, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 for a time. In north, northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 backing westerly 5 or 6, then southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In south, high at first in northeast, otherwise very rough, becoming rough later. in north, very high at first in east, otherwise high becoming very rough.
- Weather
- In south, showers. In north, showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor at first. In north, poor, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Violent storm force 11 veering northwesterly and decreasing storm force 10 imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- In south, northwesterly, backing southwesterly later, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 for a time. In north, northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 backing westerly 5 or 6, then southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In south, high at first in northeast, otherwise very rough, becoming rough later. in north, very high at first in east, otherwise high becoming very rough.
- Weather
- In south, showers. In north, showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor at first. In north, poor, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly violent storm force 11 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9 backing westerly 5 or 6, then southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Very high at first in east, otherwise high becoming very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Poor, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, backing northwesterly and increasing violent storm force 11 later
- Wind
- Northwest severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 decreasing 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly violent storm force 11 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Northwest severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 decreasing 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly storm force 10 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first in south, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in south and slight in north.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, becoming good.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, backing southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southwest later, 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 or 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- High at first in southeast, otherwise very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest 4 to 6, backing south 6 to gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor later.
Malin
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming southerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in west, moderate or rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming southerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in east, rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming southerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming southerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming southerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming southerly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- 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.