Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
High Irish Sea 1028 expected Low countries 1025 by 1800 Thursday. Low North Utsire 1011 losing its identity by same time. New low expected just south of Iceland 959 by that time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing southerly later, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally moderate later in west.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing southerly later, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6, backing southerly later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, then slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing south, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing south, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing south, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing south, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- West or northwest, backing south, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in east, otherwise moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in east, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- North, backing south later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in northeast, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- North, backing south later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable, becoming east for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable, becoming east for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable, becoming east for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable, becoming east for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable, becoming east for a time, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6 in southeast, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in southeast and slight near shore.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5 . In northwest, southerly or southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, occasionally slight near shore. in northwest, moderate, becoming rough or very rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, rain later.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate later.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5 . In northwest, southerly or southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, occasionally slight near shore. in northwest, moderate, becoming rough or very rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, rain later.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate later.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, southerly or southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 4 to 6. In east, variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate, becoming rough or very rough later. in east, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In west, rain later. In east, rain later.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally moderate later. In east, moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, southerly or southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 4 to 6. In east, variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate, becoming rough or very rough later. in east, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In west, rain later. In east, rain later.
- Visibility
- In west, good, occasionally moderate later. In east, moderate or good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- South, veering southwest, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon
- Wind
- South, veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough, then becoming high or very high later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5 at first, otherwise south, veering southwest, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon
- Wind
- Southeast 4 or 5 at first, otherwise south, veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 later
- Wind
- Southeast 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwest gale 8 to storm 10.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming very rough, then high or very high later.
- Weather
- Rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, backing south 6 to gale 8, then veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate until later in southeast, otherwise moderate or rough, but becoming very rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, then veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later, occasionally very high later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Rain, then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5, backing southerly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, then veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later, occasionally very high later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Rain, then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or 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.
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