Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Low 150 miles west of Shannon 974 expected Rockall 976 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Wed 21 Jan 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 21 Jan 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 22 Jan 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

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

Wind: In southwest, southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9. In northeast, southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In southwest, very rough or high. in northeast, moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: In southwest, occasional rain. In northeast, mainly fair.
Visibility: In southwest, moderate or poor. In northeast, good.

North Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough in far southwest.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Wed 21 Jan 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly gale 8 to storm 10.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high for a time in west.
Weather: Occasional sleet.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

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

Wind: Southeast 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough at first in south, otherwise very rough or high.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

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

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high in northeast.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

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

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional sleet or snow.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: In north, easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8. In south, southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: In north, moderate or rough. in south, slight or moderate occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: South or southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, moderate or rough in northwest.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Gale now ceased but southerly severe gale force 9 expected soon

Wind: South or southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Gale now ceased but southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later, then veering northwest later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Severe gale force 9 backing southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8 veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9, then decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Wed 21 Jan 2026

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 veering northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later in north.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Wed 21 Jan 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering northwesterly and increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8 veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10, then decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high in west.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8 veering northwest 7 to severe gale 9, then decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southeast 6 to gale 8 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate in east, rough or very rough in west.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southeast 6 to gale 8 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later in southwest.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 02:01 (UTC) on Wed 21 Jan 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southeast 4 to 6, backing east 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Gale now ceased but northerly severe gale force 9 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7 becoming northwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in south.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Gale force 8 veering southeasterly imminent

Wind: Cyclonic mainly 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in far north and also later in far southwest.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering southeasterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

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

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Gale force 8 now veered southeasterly

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

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Wed 21 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: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 03:52 (UTC) on Wed 21 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, becoming very rough or high in east.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

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