Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Atlantic low 943 expected 350 miles west of Bailey 953 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Wed 17 Dec 2025.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 17 Dec 2025 to 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 18 Dec 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:50 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:50 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 15:50 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 15:50 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Dover

Wind: West 3 or 4, backing southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Wight

Wind: West 3 or 4, backing southwest 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:50 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:50 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Wed 17 Dec 2025

Wind: North or northwest 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later in southeast.
Weather: Thundery showers at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale 8 continuing

Wind: South or southwest becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly gale 8 continuing

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Wed 17 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 for a time, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly severe gale force 9 continuing, but veering and decreasing southwesterly gale force 8 soon

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, high or very high later.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025

Southerly severe gale force 9 continuing, but veering and decreasing southwesterly gale force 8 soon

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, high or very high later.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Wed 17 Dec 2025

Southerly severe gale force 9 veering and decreasing southwest gale force 8 imminent

Wind: South or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Wed 17 Dec 2025

Southerly severe gale force 9 veering and decreasing southwest gale force 8 imminent

Wind: South or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Wed 17 Dec 2025

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 veering and decreasing southwesterly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southeast 7 to severe gale 9 veering southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, high or very high.
Weather: Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Wed 17 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, but moderate at first in southeast and high later in west.
Weather: Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Wed 17 Dec 2025

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 veering and decreasing southwesterly gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming high or very high later.
Weather: Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Wed 17 Dec 2025

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 veering and decreasing southwesterly gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming high or very high later.
Weather: Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally 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.