Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at midday

New high expected FitzRoy 1022 by midday tomorrow. Highs Humber 1028 and Southeast Iceland 1028 both dissipating

Issued at: 16:25 (UTC) on Fri 24 Apr 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Fri 24 Apr 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Sat 25 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in the utsires.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in the utsires.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in the utsires.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: In east, northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in the utsires. In west, variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: In east, moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first. in west, slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: In east, showers. In west, fair.
Visibility: In east, good. In west, moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Fri 24 Apr 2026

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in east.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in east.
Weather: Fog patches developing in west.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in west.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fog patches developing in west.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in west.

Dover

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 in south and later elsewhere.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Thu 23 Apr 2026

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly 3 to 5 later in east.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly 4 to 6 later in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Lundy

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fastnet

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far south.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, veering southwesterly 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: In south, southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, veering southwesterly 2 to 4 later. In north, southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In south, moderate, occasionally rough at first. in north, moderate.
Weather: In south, showers, perhaps thundery. In north, showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in west and smooth in east.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, veering southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Bailey

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, veering southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Northwest veering north or northeast, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Faeroes

Wind: Northwest veering north or northeast, 4 to 6, then veering east or southeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, veering southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough at times in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

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.