The general synopsis at midnight
New lows expected Fisher 1001 and western Southeast Iceland 1014 by midnight tonight.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, then veering northwesterly later, perhaps gale 8 later in west.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later, occasionally very rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 2 to 4 backing southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northwesterly 2 to 4 backing southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 4 to 6, veering northwest 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later, but very rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, veering northwest 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 4 to 6, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southwest 4 to 6, veering northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally slight in east, becoming rough later in west.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5 backing southwest 5 to 7, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Humber
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5 backing southwest 5 to 7, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Thames
- Wind
- North or northwest 3 to 5 backing southwest 5 to 7, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fair then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming moderate or poor.
Dover
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- North or northeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then west 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly becoming variable, 2 to 4, then becoming easterly 5 or 6 in southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate in south and west, slight or moderate in north and east.
- Weather
- Showers then fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Mainly variable 3 or less, but northeasterly 4 to 6 in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, but slight in far southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- In south, northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in far south. In north, northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Sole
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming west or southwest 4 to 6, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming west or southwest 4 to 6, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming west or southwest 4 to 6, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming west or southwest 4 to 6, then veering northwest later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Malin
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Bailey
- Wind
- West veering northwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming north or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming north or northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or 4 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- 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.
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.