The general synopsis at midnight
Low south Biscay 1004 slow-moving, filling 1015 by midnight tonight
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
- Moderate or good.
North Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 in south.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
South Utsire
- Wind
- Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5 increasing 5 or 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Forties
- Wind
- In northeast, northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5. In southwest, northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- In northeast, slight or moderate. in southwest, smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Cromarty
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Forth
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Tyne
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Dogger
- Wind
- Northeasterly 3 to 5, backing northwesterly later in northeast but becoming variable 3 or less later in southwest.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in east.
Fisher
- Wind
- Northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
German Bight
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4 becoming north or northwest 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches at first.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.
Humber
- Wind
- East or northeast 3 to 5.
- 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 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough at first in northwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Portland
- Wind
- Easterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate in southeast, moderate or rough in northwest.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Plymouth
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Easterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough.
- Weather
- Showers.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good.
Biscay
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- Easterly 6 to gale 8 at first in north, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Thundery rain at first.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor at first.
Trafalgar
Forecast issued:
- Wind
- In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- In southeast, moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far northwest.
- Weather
- In southeast, occasional rain at first. In northwest, rain at times.
- Visibility
- In southeast, moderate or good. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.
FitzRoy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, veering southeasterly soon
- Wind
- Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west and 4 in east.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough in east.
- Weather
- Thundery showers.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Sole
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon
- Wind
- East or southeast 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Lundy
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 expected soon
- Wind
- East or southeast 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fastnet
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly gale force 8 continuing
- Wind
- East or southeast 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- In northeast, moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate, but in southwest, rough or very rough.
- Weather
- Occasional rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Irish Sea
- Wind
- East or northeast 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Shannon
- Gale warning
-
Issued:
Easterly severe gale force 9 continuing
- Wind
- East 7 to severe gale 9 veering southeast 5 to 7.
- Sea state
- Mainly rough or very rough, but moderate in far northeast.
- Weather
- Rain.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor.
Rockall
- Wind
- In south, easterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. In north, easterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Very rough until later in far southwest, otherwise moderate or rough.
- Weather
- In south, showers. In north, fair.
- Visibility
- Good, occasionally poor in south.
Malin
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Hebrides
- Wind
- Easterly 4 to 6.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Bailey
- Wind
- In south, easterly 4 to 6. In north, variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Fair Isle
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Smooth or slight in south, slight or moderate in north.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Faeroes
- Wind
- Variable 2 to 4.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Mainly fair.
- Visibility
- Good.
Southeast Iceland
- Wind
- Southwesterly 3 to 5.
- Sea state
- Slight or moderate.
- Weather
- Fog patches.
- Visibility
- Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.