AND NOW THE SHIPPING FORECAST ISSUED BY THE MET OFFICE, ON BEHALF OF THE MARITIME AND COASTGUARD AGENCY, AT 1725 ON FRIDAY 19 MARCH 2010

THERE ARE WARNINGS OF GALES IN VIKING NORTH UTSIRE FORTIES CROMARTY FORTH FITZROY SOLE SHANNON HEBRIDES BAILEY FAIR ISLE FAEROES AND SOUTHEAST ICELAND

THE GENERAL SYNOPSIS AT MIDDAY LOW FAEROES 975 EXPECTED JUST NORTH OF VIKING 990 BY MIDDAY TOMORROW. LOW FITZROY EXPECTED ENGLAND 998 BY SAME TIME

THE AREA FORECASTS FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS

VIKING NORTH UTSIRE SOUTHWESTERLY 6 TO GALE 8, OCCASIONALLY SEVERE GALE 9 AT FIRST IN VIKING, DECREASING 5 LATER. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH. OCCASIONAL RAIN. MODERATE

SOUTH UTSIRE SOUTHWEST 5 TO 7, DECREASING 4. ROUGH OCCASIONALLY MODERATE LATER. OCCASIONAL RAIN. MODERATE

FORTIES CROMARTY FORTH SOUTHWESTERLY 6 OR 7, OCCASIONALLY GALE 8 AT FIRST, DECREASING 5. MODERATE OR ROUGH, OCCASIONALLY VERY ROUGH IN FORTIES AND CROMARTY. RAIN OR SHOWERS. MODERATE OR GOOD

TYNE DOGGER SOUTHWEST 5, BECOMING VARIABLE 4 FOR A TIME, THEN NORTH 5 LATER. MODERATE OCCASIONALLY SLIGHT LATER. OCCASIONAL RAIN. MODERATE, OCCASIONALLY POOR

FISHER GERMAN BIGHT SOUTHWEST 5 OR 6, OCCASIONALLY 7 AT FIRST IN FISHER, BECOMING VARIABLE 4 LATER EXCEPT SOUTH GERMAN BIGHT. MODERATE OCCASIONALLY ROUGH IN FISHER. OCCASIONAL RAIN. MODERATE, OCCASIONALLY POOR

HUMBER THAMES DOVER WIGHT SOUTHWESTERLY 5 TO 7. SLIGHT OR MODERATE. OCCASIONAL RAIN, FOG PATCHES. MODERATE, OCCASIONALLY VERY POOR

PORTLAND PLYMOUTH BISCAY SOUTHWESTERLY 5 TO 7, VEERING NORTHWESTERLY LATER IN PLYMOUTH AND NORTH BISCAY. MODERATE OR ROUGH. OCCASIONAL RAIN. MODERATE, OCCASIONALLY POOR

FITZROY CYCLONIC 5 TO 7, OCCASIONALLY GALE 8 FOR A TIME. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH. RAIN THEN FAIR. MODERATE BECOMING GOOD

SOLE LUNDY FASTNET CYCLONIC BECOMING NORTHWEST 5 TO 7, OCCASIONALLY GALE 8 FOR A TIME IN SOLE. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH. OCCASIONAL RAIN. MODERATE OCCASIONALLY POOR

IRISH SEA VARIABLE 4 BECOMING NORTH 5 TO 7. MODERATE, OCCASIONALLY ROUGH LATER. OCCASIONAL RAIN, FOG PATCHES. MODERATE OCCASIONALLY VERY POOR

SHANNON CYCLONIC BECOMING NORTH 6 TO GALE 8, BACKING SOUTHWEST 5 LATER. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH. RAIN THEN FAIR. MODERATE, BECOMING GOOD

ROCKALL MALIN NORTHWESTERLY 4 OR 5, BUT 5 TO 7 AT FIRST IN NORTH ROCKALL, BACKING SOUTHERLY 5 TO 7 LATER IN ROCKALL. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH. RAIN OR SHOWERS. MODERATE OR GOOD

HEBRIDES BAILEY WESTERLY 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9, VEERING NORTHWESTERLY 5 TO 7, DECREASING 4 OR 5. ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH, OCCASIONALLY HIGH AT FIRST. RAIN OR SHOWERS. MODERATE OR GOOD

FAIR ISLE WESTERLY 7 TO SEVERE GALE 9, DECREASING 5 TO 7, VEERING NORTHWESTERLY PERHAPS GALE 8 LATER. VERY ROUGH OR HIGH, BECOMING ROUGH OR VERY ROUGH. OCCASIONAL RAIN. MODERATE