Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

Atlantic low 964 moving steady eastwards, expected 300 miles west of Bailey 980 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025 to 18:00 (UTC) on Sat 20 Dec 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly later, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 or 4.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly later, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 or 4.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly later, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 or 4.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 continue

Wind: Southwest, backing south later, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough at first in northeast, but elsewhere moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 continue

Wind: Southwest, backing south later, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 continue

Wind: Southwest, backing south later, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 continue

Wind: Southwest, backing south later, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 continue

Wind: Southwest, backing south later, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, backing south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, backing south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, backing south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair, showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Southwest, backing south, then southeast later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Southwest, backing south, then southeast later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Southwest, backing south, then southeast later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Southwest, backing south, then southeast later, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, squally later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 4 or 5, backing southerly 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers, squally later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 4 or 5, but variable 3 or less at first in south, backing southerly 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers, squally later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5 at first in southeast, otherwise northerly backing northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Mainly very rough, but moderate or rough in far southeast.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 veering westerly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, but variable 3 or 4 at first in southeast, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps squally.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps squally.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased, but southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, backing south or southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps squally.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, backing south or southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale force 9, veering southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps squally.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased, but southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, backing south or southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps squally.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Gale force 8 backing southeasterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwest becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Gale force 8 backing southeasterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwest becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later in west.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, backing south or southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, backing south or southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Fri 19 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, backing south or southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Thu 18 Dec 2025

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly imminent

Wind: Southwest, backing southeast later, 6 to gale 8 decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: 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.