The latest Shipping Forecast issued by the Met Office. An explanation of the terms used is included below.
| Gale warnings |
| Gale |
Winds of at least Beaufort force 8 (34-40 knots) or gusts reaching 43-51 knots |
| Severe gale |
Winds of force 9 (41-47 knots) or gusts reaching 52-60 knots |
| Storm Winds |
of force 10 (48-55 knots) or gusts reaching 61-68 knots |
| Violent storm |
Winds of force 11 (56-63 knots) or gusts of 69 knots or more
Hurricane force Winds of force 12 (64 knots or more) |
| Imminent |
Expected within six hours of time of issue |
| Soon |
Expected within six to 12 hours of time of issue |
| Later |
Expected more than 12 hours from time of issue |
| Visibility |
| Fog |
Visibility less than 1,000 metres |
| Poor |
Visibility between 1,000 metres and 2 nautical miles |
| Moderate |
Visibility between 2 and 5 nautical miles |
| Good Visibility |
More than 5 nautical miles |
| Movement of pressure systems |
| Slowly |
Moving at less than 15 knots |
| Steadily |
Moving at 15 to 25 knots |
| Rather quickly |
Moving at 25 to 35 knots |
| Rapidly |
Moving at 35 to 45 knots |
| Very rapidly |
Moving at more than 45 knots |
| Pressure tendency in station reports |
| Rising (or falling) slowly |
Pressure change of 0.1 to 1.5 hPa in the preceding three hours |
| Rising (or falling) |
Pressure change of 1.6 to 3.5 hPa in the preceding three hours |
| Rising (or falling) quickly |
Pressure change of 3.6 to 6.0 hPa in the preceding three hours |
| Rising (or falling) v. rapidly |
Pressure change of more than 6.0 hPa in the preceding three hours |
| Now rising (or falling) |
Pressure has been falling (rising) or steady in the preceding three hours, but at the time of observation was definitely rising (falling) |
Wind
(direction Indicates the direction from which the wind is blowing) |
| Becoming cyclonic |
Indicates that there will be considerable change in wind direction across the path of a depression within the forecast area |
| Veering |
The changing of the wind direction clockwise, e.g. SW to W |
| Backing |
The changing of the wind in the opposite direction to veering (anticlockwise), e.g. SE to NE
|
The Shipping Forecast is divided into sea areas. This is a map of the areas close to shore, together with (some of) the coastal stations.
| Force |
Knots |
Wind |
Probable sea state |
| 1 |
1-3 |
Light airs |
Ripples |
| 2 |
4-6 |
Light breeze |
Small wavelets |
| 3 |
7-10 |
Gentle breeze |
Crests begin to break |
| 4 |
11-16 |
Moderate breeze |
Waves becoming larger, frequent white horses |
| 5 |
17-21 |
Fresh breeze |
Moderate waves, many white horses, some spray |
| 6 |
22-27 |
Strong breeze |
Large waves, extensive white horses |
| 7 |
28-33 |
Near gale |
Sea heaps up, waves breaking, white foam blown in streaks |
| 8 |
34-40 |
Gale |
Moderate high waves, crests break into spindrift, white foam |
| 9 |
41-47 |
Strong gale |
High waves, crests topple spray affects visibility |
| 10 |
48-55 |
Storm |
Very high breaking waves, dense foam streaks |
This scale is only a rough guide and reflects average speeds, gusts up to the next force should be anticipated. Sea conditions are generally more severe nearer to land.
