Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low west Shannon 996 expected northeast Shannon 982 by 1800 Tuesday

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Mon 19 Jan 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 20 Jan 2026 to 00:00 (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: 03:55 (UTC) on Mon 19 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Mon 19 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southeast 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first and 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Forth

Wind: Southeast 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first and 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Tyne

Wind: Southeast 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first and 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Dogger

Wind: Southeast 5 or 6, occasionally 4 at first and 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Fisher

Wind: Southeasterly 4 to 6, backing easterly 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later in northwest.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in northwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

German Bight

Wind: South 3 to 5 backing southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in northwest, smooth or slight in southeast.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: South 3 to 5 backing southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: South 3 to 5 backing southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: South 3 to 5 backing southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in west.
Weather: Rain at times.
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 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough in north.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

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

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

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 19 Jan 2026

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

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 19 Jan 2026

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

Wind: In northwest, southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 to severe gale 9 for a time. In southeast, westerly 3 or 4 backing southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In northwest, rough or very rough, occasionally high. in southeast, moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: In northwest, occasional rain. In southeast, showers.
Visibility: In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally poor. In southeast, good.

Trafalgar

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: 09:54 (UTC) on Mon 19 Jan 2026

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

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 becoming west or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough at first in far southeast, otherwise very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 19 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 becoming west or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 19 Jan 2026

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

Wind: South 4 to 6 backing southeast 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

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

Southeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Southeast veering southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: In northeast, moderate or rough occasionally very rough, but in southwest, very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

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

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 expected soon

Wind: South 4 to 6 backing southeast 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

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

Southeasterly gale force 8 backing northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first and 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 16:08 (UTC) on Mon 19 Jan 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic mainly southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first, then increasing gale 8 at times, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 19 Jan 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic mainly southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first, then increasing gale 8 at times, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

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

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic mainly southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first, then increasing gale 8 at times, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Cyclonic mainly southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Cyclonic mainly southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic mainly southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic mainly southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
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.