Ultimo aggiornamento: 22 ottobre 2026
Few radio broadcasts are as loved as the BBC Shipping Forecast. Its calm, rhythmic list of sea areas, from Viking to Southeast Iceland, has been part of British life for over a century. But it is not just poetry: it is a vital safety service for anyone at sea around the British Isles, from fishermen to the crews of the container ships we sail on.
The Shipping Forecast is a weather forecast for the seas around the UK and Ireland. It is produced by the Met Office on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It covers the next 24 hours, with an outlook beyond.
The waters around the British Isles are divided into 31 sea areas, read in a set order, roughly clockwise:
Trafalgar is usually included only in the late-night broadcast. FitzRoy was called Finisterre until 2002, renamed in honour of Admiral Robert FitzRoy, founder of the Met Office.
It is broadcast several times a day on BBC Radio 4. The most famous edition is the late-night broadcast at about 00:48, introduced by the tune “Sailing By”. There is also an early-morning edition at about 05:20. Daytime broadcast times can change, so check the BBC schedule. The full forecast is also published on the Met Office website.
Each area forecast follows the same pattern:
| Element | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | “Southwest 5 to 7” | Direction the wind blows from, and its Beaufort force |
| Sea state | “Moderate or rough” | Wave conditions |
| Weather | “Rain then showers” | Rain, fog, snow and so on |
| Visibility | “Good, occasionally poor” | How far you can see |
Key terms:
| Force | Description | Sea |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3 | Calm to gentle breeze | Smooth to slight |
| 4–5 | Moderate to fresh breeze | Moderate waves |
| 6–7 | Strong wind to near gale | Rough, foam streaks |
| 8–9 | Gale to severe gale | High waves, spray |
| 10–12 | Storm to hurricane force | Very high to phenomenal |
Container ships handle rough weather far better than small boats, but forecasts still shape their speed and routing. On a voyage from Liverpool, Southampton or London Gateway, you may hear the officers discuss the forecast for Irish Sea, Lundy or Dover as you sail out. Read seasickness on a cargo ship e freighter travel from the UK.
There are 31 sea areas around the British Isles, from Viking and the Utsires in the North Sea to Biscay, Trafalgar, Rockall and Southeast Iceland.
The best-known broadcast is at about 00:48 on BBC Radio 4, with another at about 05:20. Daytime times can vary.
Winds of force 8 or more on the Beaufort scale are expected in that sea area.
The Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, broadcast by the BBC.
In 2002, to avoid confusion with a Spanish area of the same name and to honour Met Office founder Robert FitzRoy.
Sail out of a UK port on a container ship and see the forecast in action.
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