Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
Low west Bailey 998 expected Faeroes 999 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate, becoming rough in west and north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate later.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly 4 or 5 later, but increasing 6 later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- Southerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly 4 to 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In west, showers. In east, fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly 4 to 6 in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In west, showers. In east, fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 4 or 5 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in east, otherwise smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming east or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in northeast, slight or moderate in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Northwesterly 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming cyclonic 4 or 5 later in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming slight.
- Weather
- Showers, then rain later in west.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5. In northwest, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery in southeast.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in southeast.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5. In northwest, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery in southeast.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in southeast.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in northeast, slight or moderate in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- South, veering southwest later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwesterly becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming northeasterly 5 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight at first in east, otherwise moderate, but becoming rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly severe gale force 9 increasing storm force 10 imminent
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 at first in south, otherwise northeasterly backing northerly 7 to severe gale 9, then backing northwesterly 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high for a time in west.
- Weather
- Rain then wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southeasterly veering southerly or southwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 backing northeasterly imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in west and 5 elsewhere.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in east, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain, sleet or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon
- Wind
- Northeasterly, backing northerly later, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in east and 5 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first except in far south, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Snow showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.