Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Low Rockall 977 losing its identity. New low expected FitzRoy 960 by same time.

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 23 Jan 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Southeast 7 to severe gale 9, but 4 to 6 in northwest.
Sea state: High at first in southwest, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:47 (UTC) on Wed 21 Jan 2026

Southeasterly storm force 10 now decreased severe gale force 9

Wind: Southeast 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Mainly southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Mainly southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Mainly southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Mainly southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Mainly southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Easterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Mainly southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Mainly southeast 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southeast, elsewhere rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Mainly southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: South or southeast, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: South or southeast, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 04:06 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough. occasionally slight.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 04:06 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

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

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first and later in west.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon, veering southwesterly and increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: West or northwest, 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high later in west.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 6 to gale 8, then backing northwesterly later in northwest.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high in northwest and rough in southeast.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Gale force 8 now backed southwesterly, increasing violent storm force 11 imminent

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 8 to storm 10, perhaps violent storm 11 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming high or very high later.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Gale now ceased but easterly gale force 8 expected soon, backing northerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 04:06 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 04:06 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Gale now ceased but easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southeast becoming cyclonic for a time, 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Northwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in south.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming mainly rough, occasionally moderate in north and very rough in southwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Gale now ceased but easterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: In southwest, northwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times. In northeast, easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times.
Sea state: In southwest, rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in far south and moderate later. in northeast, rough or very rough.
Weather: In southwest, rain. In northeast, rain or showers.
Visibility: In southwest, good, occasionally poor. In northeast, good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:47 (UTC) on Wed 21 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, but rough or very rough in south.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 04:06 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or 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.