The general synopsis at midnight
Low Humber 999 losing its identity by midnight tonight. New low expected Sole 998 by same time. Low 100 miles west of Sole 1001 expected Biscay 998 by that time. Low Norwegian Basin 1003 expected Faeroes 1006 by midnight tonight.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less becoming easterly or southeasterly, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forties
- Wind
- Cyclonic, 2 to 4, occasionally southeasterly 5 at first in far northeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Forth
- Wind
- Northeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Tyne
- Wind
- Northeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate until later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Dogger
- Wind
- Northeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate until later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fisher
- Wind
- Easterly or southeasterly backing northeasterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in northeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
German Bight
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Thames
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
- Weather
- Rain at first, otherwise showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dover
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally easterly or northeasterly 6 until later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally easterly or northeasterly 6 until later in north.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, but rough for a time in west.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate but rough for a time in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east and very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Northwest becoming cyclonic for a time, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in southwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Easterly or northeasterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in south.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in far south.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Malin
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- North or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, occasionally southeasterly 5 in far northeast.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later in east.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Northerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later, but variable 3 or less in far west until later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- 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.