Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at 0600

Low FitzRoy 1008 and high Cromarty 1037, losing their identities. New low Trafalgar 1005 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Fri 26 Dec 2025.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Fri 26 Dec 2025 to 12:00 (UTC) on Sat 27 Dec 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Fri 26 Dec 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6, veering northerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Fri 26 Dec 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6, veering northerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Fri 26 Dec 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6, veering northerly 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forties

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight, becoming moderate later, occasionally rough later in far northeast.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Occasional drizzle later.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate later.

Forth

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Occasional drizzle later.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate later.

Tyne

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle later.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate later.

Dogger

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle later.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate later.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Fri 26 Dec 2025

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming northwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional drizzle later.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate later.

German Bight

Wind: East backing north 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional drizzle later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first near the coast.

Humber

Wind: East backing northeast, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Thames

Wind: East backing northeast, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Dover

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in west.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Fri 26 Dec 2025

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in east.
Weather: Showers, then thundery rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:50 (UTC) on Fri 26 Dec 2025

Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northeasterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in northwest.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Wind: In south, variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5. In north, northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: In south, moderate. in north, moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southwesterly veering northwesterly 3 to 5, then northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight at first in southeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwesterly veering northwesterly 3 to 5, but 6 at first in north, then northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Fri 26 Dec 2025

Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent

Wind: Westerly 6 to gale 8, veering northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
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.