Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Low west Rockall 999 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- North or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight at first in southeast and rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then mainly north, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then mainly north, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then mainly north, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then mainly north, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then mainly north, 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
German Bight
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly west or northwest for a time, 3 to 5, decreasing 2 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly west or southwest veering northwest later, 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in east, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Thames
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly west or southwest veering northwest later, 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally smooth in east, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- West or southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- West or northwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West or northwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northwesterly, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in north and 2 in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, but cyclonic 2 or 3 at first in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwest becoming cyclonic, then northwest later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in north.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming north or northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough until later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming north or northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough until later, and moderate at times later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, becoming mainly north 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, becoming mainly north 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6, backing north or northwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Northeast backing north or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northeast backing north or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northeasterly backing northerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
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.