Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midnight
New low moving rather quickly northeast, expected Faeroes 974 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate in west.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- West backing southwest, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough, but moderate in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northeast.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- West backing southwest, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, backing southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
German Bight
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, backing southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Humber
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, backing southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming rough in east.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Thames
- Wind
- West 4 to 6, backing southwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly, backing southwesterly in north, 3 to 5, becoming variable 4 or less except in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, but variable 2 to 4 at first in southeast.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but smooth or slight in sheltered southeast.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly veering northeasterly, 4 to 6. In northwest, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly veering northeasterly, 4 to 6. In northwest, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, rain.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in southwest.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest, veering west later, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Very rough, becoming rough except in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally rough, but slight or moderate in far southeast.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later in far northwest.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain, squally showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but very rough at first in southeast.
- Weather
- Rain, fog patches.
- 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.