
The general synopsis at midday
Low Forties 977 losing its identity by midday tomorrow, new low expected Forties 950 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in north.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later, perhaps storm 10 later.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming very rough or high later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming southwesterly gale 8 to storm 10 later in south, perhaps violent storm 11 later in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in west, otherwise rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northwest 7 to severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Tyne
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming west 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Dogger
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 later
- Wind
- South 6 to gale 8, veering southwest gale 8 to storm 10 later, perhaps violent storm 11 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Fisher
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 later
- Wind
- South 6 to gale 8, veering southwest gale 8 to storm 10 later, perhaps violent storm 11 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
German Bight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 later
- Wind
- South 6 to gale 8, veering southwest gale 8 to storm 10 later, perhaps violent storm 11 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor.
Humber
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 soon
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 or storm 10 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Thames
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 soon
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 or storm 10 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Dover
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 soon
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 or storm 10 for a time.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Wight
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 veering westerly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon
- Wind
- Southerly veering westerly or southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Portland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 veering westerly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon
- Wind
- Southerly veering westerly or southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Plymouth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering westerly soon
- Wind
- Southerly veering westerly or southwesterly, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or poor, occasionally good.
Biscay
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent, then increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Westerly, becoming cyclonic later in north, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- South veering southwest, 6 to gale 8, then veering west 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale force 8 veering westerly soon, then increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Westerly, becoming cyclonic later in north, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- West or northwest 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Rain then showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- North 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming very rough.
- Weather
- Thundery wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- North 4 or 5 increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming very rough.
- Weather
- Thundery wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8, backing northerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8, backing northerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough, becoming very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain at times.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing
- Wind
- Northerly or northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Wintry showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
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).
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.
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