Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at 1800
Atlantic low 1004 moving rather quickly northeast, expected just west of north Shannon 1008 by 1800 Monday. New high expected Thames 1026 by same time. Low north Bailey 990 losing its identity
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southwesterly veering westerly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Forties
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- West or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
German Bight
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Humber
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Thames
- Wind
- West or southwest becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- West or southwest becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- West 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 in far southeast, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. In northwest, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. In northwest, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- West backing south or southwest, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- West backing south or southwest, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- West backing south or southwest, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming rough, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing southeast later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Hebrides
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough in southeast, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first and 3 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first, becoming southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches, then showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
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.