Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 0600

Low, 250 miles southwest of Iceland 952 expected Iceland 973 by 0600 tomorrow. New low expected Trafalgar 1007 by same time

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025 to 12:00 (UTC) on Sat 13 Dec 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forties

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Cromarty

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Forth

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Tyne

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

German Bight

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Humber

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: South or southwest, veering west or northwest for a time, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: South or southwest, veering west or northwest for a time, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Northwest, backing southwest, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest, backing southwest, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming mainly northeasterly later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 03:45 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Gale force 8 veering northerly soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Wind: Cyclonic, 3 to 5 at first in southeast, otherwise 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate at first in southeast, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high in northwest and later elsewhere.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 10:05 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: In southeast, northerly veering northeasterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later in south. In northwest, northwesterly, backing southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: In southeast, very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later. in northwest, high, becoming very rough, occasionally rough later.
Weather: In southeast, showers at first . In northwest, showers.
Visibility: In southeast, good, occasionally moderate. In northwest, good.

Sole

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high in southwest, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Mainly slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 03:45 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: High, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 10:05 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 10:05 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 10:05 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 or severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:45 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Severe gale force 9 veering southwesterly soon

Wind: South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: High or very high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:43 (UTC) on Thu 11 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering southwesterly later

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, but moderate or rough at first in east.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 10:05 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 continue

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 10:05 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southerly severe gale force 9, veering southwesterly soon and decreasing gale force 8 later

Wind: South, veering southwesterly, 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: High occasionally very high, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: 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.