The general synopsis at midnight
Low 350 miles west of Shannon 996 expected Rockall 958 by midnight tonight
Issued at: .
For the period to .
Shipping forecast and gale warnings map
Viking
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- In west, variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 6 to gale 8 later. In east, southeasterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- In west, moderate or rough. in east, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- In west, showers. In east, sleet then fair.
- Visibility
- In west, good. In east, poor becoming good.
North Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9, decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Sleet then fair.
- Visibility
- Poor becoming good.
South Utsire
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9, decreasing gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 for a time.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
- Weather
- Sleet then fair.
- Visibility
- Poor becoming good.
Forties
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, backing southeast 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Cromarty
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, backing southeast 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, backing southeast 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, backing southeast 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- West or northwest 4 to 6, backing southeast 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Showers at first.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fisher
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming southeast later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Rain or showers then fair.
- Visibility
- Poor becoming good.
German Bight
- Wind
- Cyclonic, becoming southeast later, 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
- Weather
- Rain or showers then fair.
- Visibility
- Poor becoming good.
Humber
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southeast, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Thames
- Wind
- Northwest, backing southeast, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate occasionally slight.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dover
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming south or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Wight
- Wind
- Variable 3 or less, becoming south or southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
- Sea state
- Slight occasionally moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 or less, increasing 4 to 6, then veering west later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Plymouth
- Wind
- South or southeast 3 or less, increasing 4 to 6, then veering west later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Biscay
- Wind
- Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northwest 5 or 6 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in northwest.
- Weather
- Rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, becoming poor later.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough. in northwest, rough, occasionally very rough later.
- Weather
- In southeast, showers. In northwest, mainly fair.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good. In northwest, good occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- In southeast, northerly 5 to 7. In northwest, southerly, veering westerly, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- In southeast, rough, occasionally very rough later. in northwest, rough or very rough, occasionally high.
- Weather
- In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, rain or showers.
- Visibility
- In southeast, good occasionally poor. In northwest, good occasionally poor.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southwesterly gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- Southerly, veering westerly, 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
- Weather
- Rain or showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Fastnet
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 imminent
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in west.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southerly gale force 8 expected later
- Wind
- South or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain, showers later.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 later
- Wind
- South or southeast, veering southwest, gale 8 to storm 10.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming high or very high.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Poor occasionally moderate.
Rockall
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 imminent, increasing storm force 10 soon, veering southwesterly later
- Wind
- South or southeast, veering southwest, gale 8 to storm 10.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming high or very high.
- Weather
- Rain then squally showers.
- Visibility
- Poor occasionally moderate.
Malin
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Gale now ceased but southeasterly storm force 10 expected later, veering southerly later
- Wind
- South or southeast 4 to 6, increasing gale 8 to storm 10.
- Sea state
- Very rough becoming high, occasionally very high later.
- Weather
- Rain or squally showers.
- Visibility
- Good occasionally poor.
Hebrides
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly storm force 10 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest, backing east or southeast, 4 to 6, increasing gale 8 to storm 10.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Wintry showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate occasionally poor.
Bailey
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly storm force 10 expected later
- Wind
- Southwest, backing east or southeast, 4 to 6, increasing gale 8 to storm 10.
- Sea state
- Very rough or high.
- Weather
- Wintry showers then rain.
- Visibility
- Moderate occasionally poor.
Fair Isle
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Westerly, backing southeasterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Faeroes
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Westerly, backing southeasterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
Southeast Iceland
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly severe gale force 9 expected later
- Wind
- Westerly, backing southeasterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, occasionally high.
- Weather
- Showers, rain later.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor later.
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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