Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 0600

Low just west of Rockall 973 expected Hebrides 988 by 0600 tomorrow. Low Fair Isle 979 expected Norwegian Sea 983 by same time

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Tue 2 Dec 2025.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 2 Dec 2025 to 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 3 Dec 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Tue 2 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 imminent, veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 or 6, backing southerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain then showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Tue 2 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Southwesterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 or 6, backing southerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain then showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming slight later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming slight later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: West or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Tue 2 Dec 2025

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first in southeast, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Mon 1 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west, backing southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later in west.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming high in west.
Weather: Thundery showers, rain later in west.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Mon 1 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west, backing southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later in west.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming high in west.
Weather: Thundery showers, rain later in west.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Tue 2 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Westerly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: High becoming very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor, becoming moderate occasionally poor later.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 2 Dec 2025

Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent

Wind: In south, westerly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later. In north, cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state: In south, high becoming very rough. in north, very rough or high at first in north, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather: In south, thundery showers, rain later. In north, thundery showers.
Visibility: In south, good occasionally poor, becoming moderate occasionally poor later. In north, good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Mon 1 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Tue 2 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northeasterly 6 or 7 later in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Mon 1 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic becoming southerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in far northeast.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, but moderate or rough in southeast.
Weather: Rain then showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:47 (UTC) on Tue 2 Dec 2025

Northeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5 at first in south, otherwise northeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in far northwest.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, wintry later in north.
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.