Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

Low Southeast Iceland 971 expected east Greenland xxx by midday tomorrow

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Tue 24 Feb 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Tue 24 Feb 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Wed 25 Feb 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 24 Feb 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 24 Feb 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 24 Feb 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Drizzle, fog patches becoming extensive fog.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor.

Forties

Wind: In east, southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6. In west, southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In east, moderate or rough. in west, moderate.
Weather: In east, drizzle, fog patches becoming extensive fog. In west, occasional rain later.
Visibility: In east, moderate to very poor. In west, moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Cromarty

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Forth

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Tyne

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Dogger

Wind: In west, southerly 4 to 6. In east, southerly 4 or 5.
Sea state: In west, slight or moderate. in east, slight or moderate.
Weather: In west, occasional rain later. In east, drizzle, extensive fog.
Visibility: In west, moderate or good, occasionally poor later. In east, poor or very poor.

Fisher

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7, backing southerly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle, extensive fog.
Visibility: Poor or very poor.

German Bight

Wind: Southerly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle, extensive fog.
Visibility: Poor or very poor.

Humber

Wind: South 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Thames

Wind: South 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Dover

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair, rain later.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly later, 3 to 5, but variable 2 to 4 in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Tue 24 Feb 2026

Wind: In southeast, variable 2 to 4, but south 3 to 5 at times. In northwest, southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state: In southeast, moderate, occasionally slight later. in northwest, moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: In southeast, fair . In northwest, rain or showers.
Visibility: In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally poor at first. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: South 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: South 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Fastnet

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but rough or very rough in west.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Irish Sea

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Shannon

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Rockall

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:38 (UTC) on Tue 24 Feb 2026

Gale force 8 now veered southerly

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 15:55 (UTC) on Tue 24 Feb 2026

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:38 (UTC) on Tue 24 Feb 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in west, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southeast, rough or very rough in northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 15:55 (UTC) on Tue 24 Feb 2026

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 10:00 (UTC) on Tue 24 Feb 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering southerly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent, veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally very poor.

Shipping forecast information

The shipping forecast is issued four times a day at 2300, 0500, 1100, 1700 UTC and covers a period of 24 hours from 0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 UTC respectively.

The waters around the British Isles are divided into 31 sea areas shown on the map.

The forecast contains details of gale warnings in force, a general synopsis and sea-area forecasts containing wind direction and force, sea state, weather and visibility.

Gale warnings are issued as required throughout the day (for winds of Gale Force 8 or more).

Marine forecasts disclaimer

In the UK, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) is responsible for the provision of Maritime Safety Information (MSI) to ships at sea, which includes the broadcast of warnings and forecasts. The Met Office initiates warnings and prepares routine forecasts for dissemination on behalf of the MCA.

Caution: The internet is not part of the Maritime Safety Information system and should never be relied upon as the only means to obtain the latest forecast and warning information. Access to the service may be interrupted or delayed from time to time, updates may also be delayed.

Please refer to GMDSS services, INMARSAT SafetyNET or international NAVTEX for the latest information. When using these web pages, always check that the page on your screen is not from your cache. Use the Refresh or Reload button if in any doubt.