The general synopsis at midnight
Low Bailey 986 and low Norwegian Basin 991, both losing their identities by midnight tonight.
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Southwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 3, then south 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forties
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4, backing south 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough until later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4, backing south 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4, backing south 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4, backing south 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4, backing south 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough until later.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fisher
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
German Bight
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Humber
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Thames
- Wind
- West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.
Dover
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Wight
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Portland
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Plymouth
- Wind
- Southwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Biscay
- Wind
- In north, southwest 4 to 6. In south, variable 2 to 4 becoming southeasterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- In north, moderate or rough. in south, moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In north, occasional rain, fog patches. In south, fair.
- Visibility
- In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor. In south, good.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, except in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4 becoming southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6. In northwest, southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In southeast, fair. In northwest, occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Sole
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.
Shannon
- Wind
- Southwest backing south 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough, occasionally high at first.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 or 5, then backing southerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Southwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 or 5, then backing southerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Squally showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- In south, southwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 or 5, then backing southerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. In north, cyclonic becoming southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- In south, very rough or high becoming rough or very rough. in north, very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- In south, squally showers then rain. In north, showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- In south, good, occasionally poor. In north, good, occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Wind
- Cyclonic becoming southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southeast 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Northeast 4 or 5 veering southeast 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers at first, rain later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Easterly veering southeasterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 for a time, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very 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.
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