AND NOW THE SHIPPING FORECAST ISSUED BY THE MET OFFICE, ON BEHALF OF THE MARITIME AND COASTGUARD AGENCY, AT 1130 UTC ON WEDNESDAY 23 DECEMBER 2015 FOR THE PERIOD 1200 UTC WEDNESDAY 23 DECEMBER TO 1200 UTC THURSDAY 24 DECEMBER 2015 THERE ARE WARNINGS OF GALES IN ALL AREAS EXCEPT TRAFALGAR THE GENERAL SYNOPSIS AT 0600 LOW MID ATLANTIC 985 EXPECTED BAILEY 962 BY 0600 TOMORROW THE AREA FORECASTS FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS VIKING NORTH UTSIRE SOUTH UTSIRE FORTIES CROMARTY SOUTHWESTERLY BACKING SOUTHERLY LATER 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9. VERY ROUGH, OCCASIONALLY HIGH. SQUALLY SHOWERS, RAIN LATER. MODERATE OR GOOD, OCCASIONALLY POOR FORTH TYNE DOGGER SOUTHWEST BACKING SOUTH LATER, 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH. SHOWERS, RAIN LATER. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY MODERATE FISHER NORTH GERMAN BIGHT WESTERLY BACKING SOUTHERLY LATER, 6 TO GALE 8, OCCASIONALLY SEVERE GALE 9 AT FIRST. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH, OCCASIONALLY HIGH AT FIRST. SHOWERS. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY MODERATE SOUTH GERMAN BIGHT HUMBER THAMES DOVER SOUTHWESTERLY 6 TO GALE 8, PERHAPS SEVERE GALE 9 LATER. MODERATE OR ROUGH. SHOWERS. GOOD WIGHT PORTLAND SOUTHWEST 5 OR 6, INCREASING 7 OR GALE 8, PERHAPS SEVERE GALE 9 LATER. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH. SHOWERS, RAIN LATER. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY POOR LATER PLYMOUTH SOUTHWEST 6 TO GALE 8, OCCASIONALLY SEVERE GALE 9 LATER. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH, OCCASIONALLY HIGH IN WEST. SHOWERS, RAIN LATER. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY POOR LATER BISCAY SOUTHEAST FITZROY VARIABLE 4 AT FIRST IN SOUTHEAST, OTHERWISE SOUTHWESTERLY 5 TO 7, OCCASIONALLY GALE 8. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH, OCCASIONALLY HIGH IN NORTH. OCCASIONAL RAIN. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY MODERATE NORTHWEST FITZROY SOUTHWESTERLY 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9, VEERING WESTERLY 5 TO 7 LATER. VERY ROUGH OR HIGH. RAIN THEN SHOWERS. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY POOR SOLE LUNDY FASTNET IRISH SEA SHANNON SOUTHWEST 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9, OCCASIONALLY STORM 10 FOR A TIME, VEERING WEST 6 TO GALE 8 LATER. VERY ROUGH OR HIGH. SHOWERS, RAIN FOR A TIME. MODERATE OR GOOD, OCCASIONALLY POOR ROCKALL MALIN HEBRIDES CYCLONIC, MAINLY SOUTH OR SOUTHWEST GALE 8 TO STORM 10, OCCASIONALLY VIOLENT STORM 11 LATER. VERY ROUGH OR HIGH, BECOMING HIGH OR VERY HIGH. RAIN OR SHOWERS. MODERATE OR POOR BAILEY WEST 6 TO GALE 8, BECOMING CYCLONIC GALE 8 TO STORM 10. VERY ROUGH OR HIGH, BECOMING HIGH OR VERY HIGH LATER. RAIN OR SHOWERS. MODERATE OR POOR, OCCASIONALLY GOOD FAIR ISLE SOUTHEAST FAEROES SOUTHWESTERLY VEERING SOUTHERLY FOR A TIME, 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9, INCREASING STORM 10 OR VIOLENT STORM 11 LATER. VERY ROUGH OR HIGH, BECOMING HIGH OR VERY HIGH LATER. RAIN OR SQUALLY SHOWERS. MODERATE OR GOOD, OCCASIONALLY POOR NORTHWEST FAEROES SOUTHEAST ICELAND WESTERLY 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9, BECOMING CYCLONIC GALE 8 TO STORM 10 LATER. VERY ROUGH OR HIGH. RAIN OR WINTRY SHOWERS. GOOD, OCCASIONALLY POOR