Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at 0600

Low northern Faeroes 988 moving away northwards

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Mon 13 Apr 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Mon 13 Apr 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 14 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northeast, decreasing 3 at times in southwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in northeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less for a time later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less for a time later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: South or southeast 2 increasing 3 to 5, then becoming variable 3 or less for a time later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: East or southeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Rain for a time, mainly in east.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time in east.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: In east, variable 2 to 4. In west, southwesterly 2 to 4 backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In east, smooth or slight. in west, slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, then rain later in west.
Visibility: In east, good, occasionally moderate. In west, good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.

Portland

Wind: Southwesterly 2 to 4 backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.

Plymouth

Wind: Southwesterly 2 to 4 backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east and north, moderate or rough in west and south.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.

Biscay

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly backing southerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Sun 12 Apr 2026

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough in west, moderate or rough in east.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough in west, moderate or rough in east.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5 backing south or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Fastnet

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5 backing south or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in southwest.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Irish Sea

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5 backing south or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in north.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Shannon

Wind: South or southeast, becoming cyclonic for a time, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southwest backing south or southeast, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest backing south or southeast, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic mainly southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

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.