Introduction
Like all sailors the weather forecast is the key to where we go and how wet we are going to get. On each log entry I try to post the 0000 hrs UTC forecast for the shipping area that I'm sailing in along with the synoptic chart. In reality I use a number of forecasts, some traditional and formal like the shipping forecast and inshore waters forecast, others like Windy, see below, or Predict Wind are a bit more animated.
Windy Page
The screen below is generated by the Windy website and uses the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model.
Shipping Forecast Sea Areas
With my love of the UK Met Office Shipping Forecast I thought that a list of Shipping Areas that I've sailed in would be appropriate.
Shipping Forecast Sea Areas I've Explored:
No | Name | No | Name |
---|---|---|---|
5 | Cromarty | 6 | Forth |
7 | Tyne | 11 | Humber |
12 | Thames | 13 | Dover |
14 | Wight | 15 | Portland |
16 | Plymouth | 17 | Biscay |
18 | Trafalgar | 19 | FitzRoy |
Shipping Forecast Areas Waiting to be Explored:
No | Name | No | Name |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Viking | 2 | North Utsire |
3 | South Utsire | 4 | Forties |
8 | Dogger | 9 | Fisher |
10 | German Bight | 20 | Sole |
21 | Lundy | 22 | Fastnet |
23 | Irish Sea | 24 | Shannon |
25 | Rockall | 26 | Malin |
27 | Hebrides | 28 | Bailey |
29 | Fair Isles | 30 | Faeroes |
31 | Southeast Iceland |

The Shipping Forecast Sea Areas.
© The Met Office
Updated: 02/01/2025