Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
High Germany 1032 expected German Bight 1034 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- South 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate for a time in north.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Westerly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first in the northeast.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- East or southeast, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- East or southeast, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- East or southeast, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- East or southeast, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- East or southeast, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable becoming mainly east or northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar (issued 00:15 UTC)
- Wind
- In south, in east, easterly 5 to 7, in west, variable 3 or less . In north, variable becoming mainly easterly or northeasterly later, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 3 or 4, becoming northeasterly 4 or 5 . In northwest, southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, occasionally rough. in northwest, rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 3 or 4, becoming northeasterly 4 or 5 . In northwest, southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate, occasionally rough. in northwest, rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5. In east, southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- In west, rough, occasionally very rough at first. in east, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In west, rain. In east, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In west, moderate or good. In east, moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- In west, southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5. In east, southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- In west, rough, occasionally very rough at first. in east, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In west, rain. In east, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In west, moderate or good. In east, moderate or good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- South or southeast 6 to gale 8, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5, then variable 4 or less later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- South or southeast 6 to gale 8, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5, then variable 4 or less later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming northwest, 5 to 7. Backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time in west, becoming cyclonic 4 or 5 later, then variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough for a time in the west.
- Weather
- Rain later in the west.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Southerly becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time, becoming southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very 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.