Shipping forecast and gale warnings
The general synopsis at midday
Low Bailey 996 expected just north of Faeroes 999 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- South 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 3, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 3, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- South 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- South 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- South 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5. In south, easterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In north, smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate. in south, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In north, showers. In south, thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5. In south, easterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In north, smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate. in south, slight or moderate.
- Weather
- In north, showers. In south, thundery showers.
- 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
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in northeast, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- South or southwest, veering northeast later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northeast 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In south, northwesterly veering northeasterly, 4 to 6. In north, northwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering northerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In south, rough, occasionally very rough at first. in north, rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, moderate or good.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In south, northwesterly veering northeasterly, 4 to 6. In north, northwesterly 6 to gale 8, veering northerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In south, rough, occasionally very rough at first. in north, rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- In south, good. In north, moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest, then north later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest veering northwest, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate in east and very rough in west.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Storm force 10 backing northerly and decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent
- Wind
- Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, becoming northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
- Weather
- Rain then squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 backing northerly soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times, occasionally 5.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 backing northerly soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic mainly northerly, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally wintry showers.
- 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.
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