
The general synopsis at midday
Low Malin 988 slow-moving and filling 993 by midday tomorrow
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain for a time.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly south, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight, occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
German Bight
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly south, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Humber
- Wind
- Southeast, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Thames
- Wind
- South or southwest, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dover
- Wind
- South or southwest, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Wight
- Wind
- South or southwest, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Portland
- Wind
- South or southwest, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Wind
- South or southwest, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Biscay
- Wind
- West or northwest 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- North or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- West or northwest 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Cyclonic, mainly north, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high in west until later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Cyclonic, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west at first.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Mainly east or southeast, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- North or northeast 7 or gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southeast, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in far west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Mainly good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in west.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Northerly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Northerly 6 to gale 8, veering northeasterly 4 to 6, then becoming variable 2 to 4 at times near iceland.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- 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.