Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Low southern Norway 1006 expected southern Sweden 1001 by 1800 Saturday. Low southern England 1015 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- North 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northerly 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
- Weather
- Thundery showers later in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in northeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate becoming rough, occasionally very rough in far east.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
- Weather
- Thundery showers later in northeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in northeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly 3 to 5 in west.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate later in northwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later near the algarve.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers in west.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate in south.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in west, smooth or slight in east.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Malin
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in far southeast.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- North, backing west later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle.
- 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.