Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

New low expected Rockall 993 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Wed 15 Apr 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 15 Apr 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 16 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Tue 14 Apr 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, then rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Tue 14 Apr 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Tue 14 Apr 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Tue 14 Apr 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: In northeast, southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8. In southwest, southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6..
Sea state: In northeast, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough. in southwest, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: In northeast, occasional rain. In southwest, rain at times.
Visibility: In northeast, good, occasionally poor. In southwest, moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

German Bight

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in west.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Humber

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain and fog patches, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Portland

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain and fog patches, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Plymouth

Wind: Southerly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain and fog patches, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Biscay

Wind: In northwest, southerly veering southwesterly, 4 to 6. In southeast, variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: In northwest, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later. in southeast, moderate or rough.
Weather: In northwest, occasional rain and fog patches, then showers. In southeast, mainly fair.
Visibility: In northwest, moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first. In southeast, moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Tue 14 Apr 2026

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly 4 or 5 later in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later in northwest.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Tue 14 Apr 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: In southeast, southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. In northwest, southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: In southeast, rough or very rough. in northwest, rough or very rough, occasionally high in west.
Weather: In southeast, occasional rain. In northwest, squally showers.
Visibility: In southeast, good, occasionally poor. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Tue 14 Apr 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high in west.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later in w.
Weather: Rain and fog patches, then squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Fastnet

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain and fog patches, then squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Irish Sea

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain and fog patches, then squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Tue 14 Apr 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South 4 to 6, veering southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Wind: South or southeast, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: South or southeast, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough in west.
Weather: Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: South or southeast, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: South or southeast becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain then thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Tue 14 Apr 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southeast 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Tue 14 Apr 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

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

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Tue 14 Apr 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, backing northeasterly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
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.