The general synopsis at midnight
Low FitzRoy 998 expected northern France 995 by midnight tonight. Low northwest FitzRoy 1000 loses its identity.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then easterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7, perhaps gale 8 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, backing northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Cromarty
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, backing northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, backing northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, backing northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, backing northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fisher
- Wind
- East or southeast 3 to 5, backing northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 or perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- East or southeast becoming cyclonic for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- East or southeast becoming cyclonic for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- East or southeast becoming cyclonic for a time, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Mainly slight, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers or rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 4 to 6, then cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 4 to 6, then cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 4 to 6, then cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or northeast 4 to 6, then cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected imminent increasing severe gale force 9 soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 in south, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly north or northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 in east fiztroy.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough until later.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- North 5 to 7, occasionally cyclonic 4 at first in east, backing northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in south.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- North 5 to 7, backing northwest 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, backing north or northwest later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, increasing 6 at first, backing north or northwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, backing north or northwest later.
- Sea state
- Sea smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- North 3 to 5, backing west or northwest later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Rockall
- Wind
- North 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Malin
- Wind
- North 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- North 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Bailey
- Wind
- North 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4 at first, becoming southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate, occasionally slight later in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 2 to 4 at first, becoming southeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Mainly moderate, but occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering northeast imminent
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north, becoming east or southeast later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming 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.