Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
High Shannon 1022 expected Forties 1031 by 1800 Sunday
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in northeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable becoming northeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable becoming northeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable becoming northeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable becoming northeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in southwest.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northeast becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later in far north.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly north, 2 to 4, increasing 5 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Easterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable becoming east or northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable becoming east or northeast, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable becoming east or northeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming east 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 or 5 at first in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Malin
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 or 6, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in southeast, but elsewhere moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Southwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional 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.