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And now the Shipping Forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 0015 on Monday 23 November 2009.

There are warnings of gales in Forties Cromarty Forth Tyne Dogger Fisher German Bight Humber Thames Dover Wight Portland Plymouth Biscay Fitzroy Sole Lundy Fastnet Irish Sea Shannon Rockall Malin Bailey Faeroes and Southeast Iceland.

The general synopsis at 1800:
Low Malin 963 expected norway 975 by 1800 Monday.
The area forecasts for the next 24 hours:
Viking North Utsire South Utsire:
Southerly becoming cyclonic then westerly, 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times, perhaps gale 8 later in South Utsire. Rough, occasionally very rough later. Showers. Good.

Forties Cromarty Forth Tyne Dogger Fisher German Bight Humber southwest veering west, but cyclonic for a time in Forties and Cromarty, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 except in Cromarty and Fisher. Rough or very rough, but moderate or rough in Cromarty, Forth and Tyne. Squally showers. Good.

Thames Dover Wight Portland Plymouth:
Southwest gale 8 to storm 10, increasing violent storm 11 for a time in Dover and Thames, decreasing 6 to gale 8. Rough or very rough in Thames, Dover and Wight, very rough or high in Portland and Plymouth, occasionally very high at first in west Plymouth. Rain or squally showers. Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Biscay:
West or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7. Very rough or high, but very high at first in northwest. Occasional rain. moderate or poor.

Trafalgar:
Northeasterly 5 in southeast, otherwise variable 4. Very rough or high. Fair. Good, occasionally poor.

Fitzroy:
Westerly or southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, but 5 or 6 in south. high or very high becoming very rough or high. Occasional rain. moderate or poor.

Sole Lundy Fastnet Irish Sea Shannon:
West or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, decreasing 5 or 6 at times. Rough or very rough in Irish Sea, very rough or high in Lundy, otherwise high or very high becoming very rough or high. Rain or squally showers. Moderate or poor, but moderate or good in Irish Sea.

Rockall Malin:
West or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, backing southwest 4 later. Very rough or high, but very high at first in south Rockall. Squally showers. Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Hebrides:
West or northwest 4 or 5 increasing 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. Very rough. Showers, squally at times. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey:
North or northwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, occasionally 4 later. Very rough. Squally showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle:
Cyclonic becoming westerly or northwesterly, 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 at times in south, perhaps gale 8 later in far south. Rough or very rough. Showers. Moderate or good.

Faeroes Southeast Iceland:
Northerly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in Southeast Iceland, decreasing 4 or 5 at times. Rough or very rough. rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor.

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This file is updated 4 times a day at or after approximately 0015, 0505, 1130 and 1725. It is read out on Radio 4 at 0048, 0520, 1201 and 1754 (local time). All broadcasts are on LW on 1515m (198 kHz) and some transmissions are on VHF. You can also listen using the link on our website. It gives a summary of gale warnings in force, a general synopsis and area forecasts for specified sea areas around the UK. The radio bulletin also includes the coastal weather reports (0048 and 0536 only) but these are not currently available on our site.

The music played before the Shipping Forecast is 'Sailing By' composed by Ronald Binge. Unfortunately, the version of 'Sailing By' we use is not available commercially. However, a similar recording, featuring the late Ronnie Aldrich on the piano, has been issued by: Seaward Records Ltd, Strathallan Castle, Port St Mary, Isle of Man. The tune is also available on a CD, 'The Music of Ronald Binge', from Marco Polo Records, number 8.223515.

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