Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low Faeroes 998 losing its identity

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 6 Apr 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 7 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 13:43 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

Storm force 10 backing westerly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:57 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

Northwesterly storm force 10 now decreased severe gale force 9, decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 13:43 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

Westerly violent storm force 11 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

Violent storm force 11 backing westerly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Cromarty

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, backing southeast later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, backing southeast later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, backing southeast later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5, backing southeast later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 13:43 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

Westerly violent storm force 11 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent, decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: West or northwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

German Bight

Wind: West or northwest 6 or 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Humber

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Rough at first in northeast, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, but 6 or 7 in far southeast, veering westerly or southwesterly later in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Variable 3 or less at first in southeast, otherwise southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time in west.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Lundy

Wind: Southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first, and perhaps 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first, and perhaps 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southwest at first, otherwise southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first, and perhaps 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 03:46 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southeast 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later in west.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

Gale force 8 backing southeasterly soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southeast 6 to gale 8, occasional severe gale 9 until later, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later in west.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 15:57 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, backing southeast 6 to gale 8, veering southerly 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 22:40 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing southeast 6 to gale 8, veering southerly 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

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

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming southeast 7 to severe gale 9, veering south 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

Northwesterly storm force 10 now decreased severe gale force 9, backing westerly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in south, decreasing 4 to 6, becoming southeasterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 22:40 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

Gale now ceased but southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, veering southeast 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:57 (UTC) on Sun 5 Apr 2026

Gale now ceased but southeasterly storm force 10 expected later

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, veering southeast 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later in.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Rain later.
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.