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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 Tuesday 24 November 2009.

There are warnings of gales in all areas except South Utsire and trafalgar.

The general synopsis at 1800:
Low German Bight 989 expected latvia with little change by 1800 Tuesday. New low expected just west of Bailey 963 by same time.

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours:
Viking North Utsire:
Northwesterly 5, backing southeasterly gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later. Moderate or rough. Showers, rain later. Moderate or good.

South Utsire:
Westerly backing southerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. Moderate or rough. Squally showers, rain later. Moderate or good.

Forties Cromarty Forth Tyne Dogger Fisher German Bight Humber west 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in Cromarty, German Bight and Humber, backing southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8. Moderate or rough. Showers then rain. Moderate or good.

Thames Dover Wight Portland:
Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later. Rough or very rough. Occasional rain. Moderate or good occasionally poor.

Plymouth Biscay:
Southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later in Plymouth. Very rough occasionally high. Occasional rain, but mainly fair in Biscay. Moderate or good occasionally poor.

Trafalgar:
Southwesterly 4, increasing 5 to 7, but easterly 6 for a time in southeast. Rough occasionally very rough. Showers, rain later in northwest. Moderate or good.

Fitzroy Sole:
Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, increasing storm 10 for a time. Very rough or high. Rain or squally showers. Moderate occasionally poor.

Lundy Fastnet Irish Sea:
Southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later. Rough or very rough, occasionally high in Lundy and Fastnet, but moderate for a time in Irish Sea. Occasional rain, squally showers later. Moderate or good occasionally poor.

Shannon Rockall Malin:
Southwest gale 8 to storm 10, perhaps violent storm 11 later, but south or southeast 6 to gale 8 for a time in Rockall and Malin. Very rough or high, occasionally very high later. Rain or squally showers. moderate or poor.

Hebrides:
Northwest 4 or 5, veering southeast gale 8, veering south later. Rough or very rough, occasionally high later. Rain or squally showers. moderate or good occasionally poor.

Bailey:
North 4 or 5, veering east gale 8 or severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later, becoming cyclonic later. Rough or very rough, occasionally high later. Rain or squally showers. Moderate or good occasionally poor.

Fair Isle Faeroes:
Northwest 4 or 5, veering east or southeast 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough. showers then rain. Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland:
Northerly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later. Rough or very rough. Squally showers. Good.

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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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