The
Shipping Forecast is a
BBC Radio broadcast of
weather reports and
forecasts for the seas around the coasts of the
British Isles. It is produced by the
Met Office and broadcast by
BBC Radio 4 on behalf of the
Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The forecasts sent over the
Navtex system use a similar format and the same sea areas. The waters around the British Isles are divided into 31 sea areas, also known as weather areas (see map below) There are four broadcasts per day at the following (UK local) times:
- 0048 – transmitted on FM and LW. Includes weather reports from an extended list of coastal stations at 0052 and an inshore waters forecast at 0055 and concludes with a brief UK weather outlook for the coming day. The broadcast finishes at approximately 0058.
- 0520 – transmitted on FM and LW. Includes weather reports from coastal stations at 0525, and an inshore waters forecast at 0527.
- 1201 – normally transmitted on LW only.
- 1754 – transmitted only on LW on weekdays, as an opt-out from the PM programme, but at weekends transmitted on both FM and LW.