AND NOW THE SHIPPING FORECAST ISSUED BY THE MET OFFICE, ON BEHALF OF THE MARITIME AND COASTGUARD AGENCY, AT 0015 UTC ON WEDNESDAY 23 DECEMBER 2015 FOR THE PERIOD 0000 UTC WEDNESDAY 23 DECEMBER TO 0000 UTC THURSDAY 24 DECEMBER 2015 THERE ARE WARNINGS OF GALES IN ALL AREAS EXCEPT BISCAY AND TRAFALGAR THE GENERAL SYNOPSIS AT 1800 LOW SOUTHEAST ICELAND 950 EXPECTED 200 MILES EAST OF ICELAND 963 BY 1800 WEDNESDAY. DEVELOPING LOW MOVING RAPIDLY NORTHEASTWARDS, EXPECTED JUST WEST OF ROCKALL 966 BY SAME TIME THE AREA FORECASTS FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS VIKING SOUTHWEST 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9. VERY ROUGH, OCCASIONALLY HIGH. SQUALLY SHOWERS. MODERATE OR GOOD NORTH UTSIRE SOUTH UTSIRE SOUTHWESTERLY 6 TO GALE 8, OCCASIONALLY SEVERE GALE 9 LATER. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH, OCCASIONALLY HIGH LATER. SQUALLY SHOWERS. MODERATE OR GOOD FORTIES CROMARTY FORTH TYNE DOGGER SOUTHWEST 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH. SQUALLY SHOWERS AT FIRST. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY MODERATE FISHER SOUTHWEST 6 TO GALE 8, OCCASIONALLY SEVERE GALE 9 LATER. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH. SQUALLY SHOWERS AT FIRST. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY MODERATE GERMAN BIGHT HUMBER SOUTHWEST 6 TO GALE 8. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH. RAIN OR SHOWERS AT FIRST. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY POOR AT FIRST THAMES DOVER SOUTHWEST 6 TO GALE 8, OCCASIONALLY SEVERE GALE 9 AT FIRST. MODERATE OR ROUGH. RAIN AT FIRST. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY POOR AT FIRST WIGHT SOUTHWEST 6 TO GALE 8. MODERATE OR ROUGH. RAIN AT FIRST. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY MODERATE AT FIRST PORTLAND PLYMOUTH SOUTHWEST 6 TO GALE 8. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH, OCCASIONALLY HIGH IN WEST PLYMOUTH. SHOWERS. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY MODERATE BISCAY SOUTHWESTERLY 5 OR 6, OCCASIONALLY 7 IN FAR NORTH. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH. OCCASIONAL RAIN. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY MODERATE TRAFALGAR VARIABLE 3 OR 4, BECOMING SOUTHWESTERLY 5 OR 6 LATER IN FAR NORTHWEST. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH. SHOWERS. GOOD FITZROY VARIABLE 3 OR 4 AT FIRST IN SOUTH, OTHERWISE SOUTHWESTERLY 5 OR 6, INCREASING 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9 IN NORTHWEST. VERY ROUGH OR HIGH. RAIN OR SHOWERS. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY MODERATE SOLE SOUTHWEST 6 TO GALE 8, INCREASING SEVERE GALE 9 OR STORM 10 LATER. HIGH. SHOWERS, RAIN LATER. MODERATE OR GOOD, OCCASIONALLY POOR LATER LUNDY FASTNET IRISH SEA SOUTHWEST 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9, PERHAPS STORM 10 LATER. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH, BUT VERY ROUGH OR HIGH IN FASTNET. SHOWERS, RAIN LATER. MODERATE OR GOOD, OCCASIONALLY POOR SHANNON SOUTHWEST 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9, OCCASIONALLY STORM 10 LATER. HIGH. RAIN OR SHOWERS. MODERATE, OCCASIONALLY POOR LATER ROCKALL SOUTHWEST 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9, BECOMING CYCLONIC GALE 8 TO STORM 10 LATER. HIGH OR VERY HIGH. RAIN OR SHOWERS. MODERATE, OCCASIONALLY POOR MALIN HEBRIDES SOUTH OR SOUTHWEST 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9, OCCASIONALLY STORM 10 LATER IN MALIN. VERY ROUGH OR HIGH, OCCASIONALLY VERY HIGH. SQUALLY SHOWERS, RAIN LATER. MODERATE, OCCASIONALLY POOR BAILEY WEST 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9, BECOMING CYCLONIC 6 TO GALE 8 LATER. VERY ROUGH OR HIGH, OCCASIONALLY VERY HIGH AT FIRST. RAIN OR SHOWERS. MODERATE, OCCASIONALLY POOR FAIR ISLE FAEROES SOUTHWEST, BACKING SOUTHEAST LATER, 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9. VERY ROUGH OR HIGH, OCCASIONALLY VERY HIGH AT FIRST. SQUALLY SHOWERS, RAIN LATER. MODERATE, OCCASIONALLY POOR SOUTHEAST ICELAND CYCLONIC 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9, DECREASING 5 OR 6 LATER. VERY ROUGH OR HIGH. RAIN OR SHOWERS. MODERATE, OCCASIONALLY POOR