The general synopsis at midnight
Low west Trafalgar 999 expected 250 miles west of FitzRoy 979 by midnight tonight. New low expected Biscay 1005 by same time
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Forties
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional drizzle later.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Forth
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Northeast 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northeast backing northwest, 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
German Bight
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth later.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Humber
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- East or northeast 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- East or northeast 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Plymouth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- East or northeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Biscay
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- Easterly becoming cyclonic, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in northwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers, perhaps thundery.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 in far northwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers, thundery at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in northwest, decreasing 5 at times later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in far northwest.
- Weather
- Occasional rain or showers, perhaps thundery, fog patches in southeast.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in southeast and poor elsewhere.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- East 6 or 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Wind
- East 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in west.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- East 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, becoming very rough in southwest.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- East 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later
- Wind
- Easterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in south.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Fair then occasional rain in south.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later in south.
Rockall
- Wind
- Easterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in far southwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Malin
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first, becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Bailey
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 in north.
- Sea state
- Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Faeroes
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in south.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- 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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