Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
High Biscay 1031 expected Plymouth 1033 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing westerly or southwesterly later, 5 to 7 decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly backing westerly or southwesterly later, 5 to 7 decreasing 4 or 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northwesterly soon
- Wind
- Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing southwesterly later, 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in east, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 now veered northwesterly
- Wind
- West or northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 now veered northwesterly
- Wind
- West or northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in northeast, otherwise slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally very poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 at first in north, otherwise easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor or very poor in north.
Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)
- Wind
- Easterly 5 to 7 in far southeast, but elsewhere northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate, but moderate or rough in far southeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 in north, otherwise easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Rough at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Rough at first in southwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- South or southwest 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Shannon
- Wind
- South or southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southwest, but south or southeast at first, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Southwest, but south or southeast at first, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain and fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Northwest backing southwest, 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northwest backing southeast then veering southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or drizzle.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 or 5, becoming southeasterly 6 to gale 8, then veering southwesterly 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or 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.