The general synopsis at midday
Low Dogger 998 expected German Bight 1002 by midday Friday. New low expected Sole 999 by same time and new low 1008 expected FitzRoy 999 by that time.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight to moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- Northeasterly becoming variable, 2 to 4, but southeasterly 3 or 5 later in northeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northeasterly becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- Northeasterly becoming variable, 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally rough at first in south.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4, then east or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4, then east or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time in southwest.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, becoming mainly moderate, occasionally rough later in southwest.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight, becoming mainly moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Northwesterly, backing southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Northwesterly becoming cyclonic 5 to 7, but occasionally variable 3 or less later in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Northwesterly becoming cyclonic 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less at first, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming mainly east or northeast later.
- Sea state
- Slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7, becoming mainly east or northeast later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in east.
- Weather
- Showers or occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- North or northeast, 2 to 4, increasing 5 later in south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- Northwest, becoming cyclonic, then northeast later, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Mainly rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Rockall
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times until later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally moderate at first in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Malin
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 or 5, occasionally 3.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 or 5, occasionally 3.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Bailey
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally moderate at first in east.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- East or northeast, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, increasing rough in far northwest later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northeast 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
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.