Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low 300 miles west of Rockall 980 expected Hebrides 948 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing storm force 10 later
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6 veering southerly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly storm force 10 expected later
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6 veering southerly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly storm force 10 expected later
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6 veering southerly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming south or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, then veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 backing south or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, then veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 backing south or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, then veering southwest later, perhaps storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6 backing south or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, then veering southwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, backing southerly and increasing storm force 10 later
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 then southerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly storm force 10 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming southerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
German Bight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, backing southerly and increasing storm force 10 later
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8 at first in south, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming southerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
Humber
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 backing southerly and increasing storm force 10 later
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8 backing south or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
Thames
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, backing southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Northwest 6 to gale 8 backing south or southwest 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, becoming poor for a time.
Dover
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected soon
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In south, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8. In north, southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough. in north, very rough or high.
- Weather
- In south, rain or showers. In north, rain.
- Visibility
- In south, moderate or good, occasionally poor. In north, moderate or poor.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly, backing southwesterly in northwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In south, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8. In north, southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- In south, moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough. in north, very rough or high.
- Weather
- In south, rain or showers. In north, rain.
- Visibility
- In south, moderate or good, occasionally poor. In north, moderate or poor.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Lundy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6 increasing 7 to severe gale 9, then veering west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected soon
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6 increasing 7 to severe gale 9, then veering west.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 imminent, veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon, veering westerly and increasing storm force 10 later
- Wind
- Southwest 5 or 6 increasing 7 to severe gale 9, then veering west, then occasionally storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest, 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming very high for a time in north.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 imminent, veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 soon, increasing violent storm force 11 later
- Wind
- South 6 to gale 8 becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11, then becoming northwest later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming high or very high.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon, veering westerly and increasing violent storm force 11 later
- Wind
- South 6 to gale 8 becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11, then becoming northwest later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming high or very high.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 imminent, increasing storm force 10 soon, veering northwesterly and increasing violent storm force 11 later
- Wind
- South 6 to gale 8 becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11, then becoming northwest later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming high or very high.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected soon, increasing storm force 10 later
- Wind
- South 6 to gale 8 becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, then becoming northwest later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, then increasing severe gale 9 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, then occasionally high later in north.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, backing easterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, then increasing severe gale 9 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 expected soon, backing northerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, then increasing severe gale 9 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming 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.
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