And now the Shipping Forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 0505 on Tuesday 02 December 2008.

There are warnings of gales in Biscay Fitzroy Sole Shannon Rockall Malin Hebrides Bailey and Faeroes.

The general synopsis at midnight:
Low Hebrides 997 expected Dogger 994 by midnight tonight. New lows expected Forties 996 and Plymouth 994 by same time.

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours:

Viking:
Northerly 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 in northwest. Moderate. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire South Utsire:
Variable 3. Slight or moderate. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Forties Cromarty Forth:
Northerly 4 in east Forties, otherwise cyclonic or northerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later. Slight or moderate. Wintry showers. moderate or good.

Tyne Dogger:
Northwest 4 at first in Dogger, otherwise southwest becoming cyclonic then north 4 or 5. Moderate becoming slight. Showers. Good.

Fisher German Bight:
Variable 3 or 4, becoming south 5 or 6 later in German Bight. Slight or moderate. Showers. Good.

Humber Thames Dover:
Northwest 4 or 5, backing southwest 5 to 7 for a time. Slight or moderate. Showers. Good.

Wight Portland Plymouth:
Northwest backing west 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic later. Slight or moderate, becoming rough in Portland and Plymouth. Showers then rain. good becoming moderate.

Biscay Fitzroy Sole:
West or northwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in Sole, increasing 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later. Moderate or rough becoming very rough. showers then rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Lundy Fastnet:
West or northwest becoming cyclonic then north 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in Fastnet. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later. occasional rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Irish Sea:
Northwest 5 to 7 veering north 4 or 5. Moderate becoming slight. squally showers. Good.

Shannon:
North or northwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 for a time, perhaps severe gale 9 later. Rough becoming very rough. Rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall Malin Hebrides Bailey:
Northwest 6 to gale 8 veering north or northeast 5 or 6, becoming variable 3 or 4 later in Malin and Hebrides. Rough or very rough, becoming moderate in Malin, Hebrides and Bailey. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle:
Northerly or northeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 at times, becoming cyclonic for a time in east. Moderate or rough. Squally wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes Southeast Iceland:
Northeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times, but 7 or gale 8 at first in Faeroes. Moderate or rough. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor.