And now the Shipping Forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 1725 utc on Thursday 20 January 2011 for the period 1800 utc Thursday 20 January to 1800 utc Friday 21 January 2011.

There are warnings of gales in Fitzroy Bailey and:
Southeast Iceland.

The general synopsis at midday:
High ireland 1039 intensifying 1042 by midday tomorrow.

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours:

Viking:
Southwest veering northwest 5 or 6, decreasing 4 at times. Moderate. rain then showers. Moderate or poor, becoming good.

North Utsire:
Variable, becoming southerly, then veering northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5. Moderate. Rain then showers. Moderate or poor, becoming good.

South Utsire:
Northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. Moderate or rough. occasional rain later. Moderate or good.

Forties Cromarty Forth Tyne:
West or northwest 3 or 4, occasionally 5, increasing 6 for a time in Cromarty. Slight or moderate. Fog patches in Forth, occasional rain later. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in Forth.

Dogger Fisher German Bight Humber:
North or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later in Fisher. Slight or moderate. Showers. Moderate or good.

Thames Dover Wight:
North or northeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6. Slight or moderate. showers. Moderate or good.

Portland Plymouth:
East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5. Slight or moderate. Fair. moderate or good.

Biscay:
East 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first. Moderate. Fair. Good.

Fitzroy:
East or southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8. Rough or very rough. fair. Good.

Sole:
Easterly or southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6, increasing 7 in west for a time. Moderate or rough. Fair. Good.

Lundy Fastnet:
East 3 or 4, occasionally 5. Slight or moderate. Coastal fog patches. moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Irish Sea:
Variable becoming mainly northerly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later in south. Slight. Fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Shannon:
Southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first. Moderate or rough. Fair. Good.

Rockall:
South or southwest 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later. Moderate or rough. fair. Good.

Malin:
Westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, but 5 or 6 in northwest at first. moderate or rough in northwest, slight in southeast. Coastal fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Hebrides Bailey Fair Isle Faeroes:
Southwest veering west 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in Bailey at first, decreasing 4 or 5 later. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first. Occasional rain then showers. Mainly good.

Southeast Iceland:
Westerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first. Very rough or high. showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.