The general synopsis at midnight
High German Bight 1031 expected Denmark 1030 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, backing southerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later in north.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in north, otherwise rough, occasionally moderate in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly 4 or 5, backing southerly 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later in north.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in north, otherwise rough, occasionally moderate in south.
- Weather
- Occasional rain in north.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Westerly backing southerly 3 to 5, backing southeasterly 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forties
- Wind
- South 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough in far northeast.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- South 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- South 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- South 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- South 4 or 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in east.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches in east.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in east.
Humber
- Wind
- East veering southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Thames
- Wind
- East veering southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Dover
- Wind
- East veering southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Wight
- Wind
- East veering southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Portland
- Wind
- East veering southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Plymouth
- Wind
- East veering southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Biscay
- Wind
- East veering southeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Northerly backing northwesterly later, 4 to 6, but variable 2 to 4 in far southeast.
- Sea state
- Very rough at first in south, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery showers in south, rain later in northwest.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in south.
FitzRoy
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northwest 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers in west.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor in west.
Sole
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northwest 5 to 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers in west.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor in west.
Lundy
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, veering southerly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Fastnet
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, veering southerly, then northwesterly later in west, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far west.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- Southeasterly 3 to 5, veering southerly, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Shannon
- Wind
- South veering northwest, 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate at first in east, otherwise rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- Southerly 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 in north, then northwesterly 4 to 6 later.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, wintry showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Malin
- Wind
- Southerly, veering westerly later, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Southerly, becoming cyclonic in north, then veering westerly later, 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally moderate.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- South 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic, mainly southwest, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- High becoming very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, wintry showers later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Southwest backing south 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough in northwest, moderate or rough in southeast.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- South 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Southerly 6 to gale 8, veering southwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
- Weather
- Rain then 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.
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