Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

New high expected German Bight 1028 by midday Sunday

Issued at: 16:25 (UTC) on Sat 25 Apr 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Sat 25 Apr 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Sun 26 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: North 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: North or northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Variable becoming mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: In east, variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later. In west, northerly or northwesterly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later, but variable 3 or less at first in east.
Sea state: In east, smooth or slight. in west, slight or moderate.
Weather: In east, fair. In west, showers.
Visibility: In east, good. In west, good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later, but variable 3 or less at first in east.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Fri 24 Apr 2026

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in northwest and 6 later in southeast.
Sea state: Mainly moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, but northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6 in southeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming slight, occasionally smooth later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming slight, occasionally smooth later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming slight, occasionally smooth later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: In south, variable 2 to 4. In north, variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state: In south, slight or moderate, becoming slight, occasionally smooth later. in north, smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: In south, showers. In north, showers later.
Visibility: In south, moderate or good, occasionally poor. In north, good, occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Wind: South or southwest becoming variable later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Wind: Cyclonic becoming south or southwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: Variable becoming southwest later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: East or southeast veering southwest later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Wind: East or southeast veering southwest later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly, 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly, 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly, 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

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.