Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

Low Shannon 984 expected west of Rockall976 by midday tomorrow. Low mid-Atlantic 978, expected Shannon 971 by same time

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Wed 21 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: Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 later in south.
Sea state: Rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

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

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

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
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: Southeasterly 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally 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: Southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough, then high later in northeast.
Weather: 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: Southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: 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: Southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: 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: Southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: 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: East 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

German Bight

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

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Mon 19 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

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

Southerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or 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 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or 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: Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally 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 Tue 20 Jan 2026

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 5 or 6 in northwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southeast but rough or very rough in northwest.
Weather: Showers, then rain in northwest.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor in northwest.

FitzRoy

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

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon, veering northwesterly later

Wind: Southwest 6 to 8, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming high or very high later.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally 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: Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Lundy

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

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

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

Irish Sea

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

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Shannon

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

Severe gale force 9 backing westerly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Rockall

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

Gale force 8 veering southeasterly imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: 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: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:52 (UTC) on Mon 19 Jan 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

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

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: 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: Southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later in southeast.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 03:53 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: 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 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain.
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.