Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

Low west Scotland 1009 expected the netherlands 1000 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025 to 18:00 (UTC) on Wed 19 Nov 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:59 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: In west, northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first. In east, northerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In west, rough or very rough. in east, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: In west, squally wintry showers, perhaps thundery. In east, wintry showers.
Visibility: In west, moderate, occasionally very poor. In east, good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: In east, northerly 4 to 6. In west, northeasterly backing northerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: In east, moderate or rough. in west, moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: In east, wintry showers. In west, squally wintry showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Northeasterly backing northerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Northeasterly backing northerly or northwesterly, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming north 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate becoming mainly rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Rain then squally wintry showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming north 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate becoming mainly rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather: Rain then squally wintry showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Northwest veering north, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in west.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in west and slight in east.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic, then north later, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate becoming mainly rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers, becoming squally and perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest veering northwest, 4 to 6, then veering north 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Showers, squally and perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest veering northwest, 4 to 6, then veering north 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers, squally and perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest veering northwest, 4 to 6, then veering north 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, squally and perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West 4 to 6, veering north or northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West 4 to 6, veering north or northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north and west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first in southeast.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

FitzRoy

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in north and later in south.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 09:59 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, veering northerly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 later in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:59 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, veering northerly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 09:59 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, veering northerly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 09:59 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, veering northerly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: North or northwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 09:59 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: North or northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 15:46 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: North or northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 09:59 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Gale force 8 backing northerly imminent

Wind: North or northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 09:59 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Severe gale force 9 backing northerly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: North or northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: North or northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Gale force 8 backing northerly soon

Wind: North or northwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Tue 18 Nov 2025

Northeasterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8, backing northerly soon

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in east, becoming variable 2 to 4 in west.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, but moderate or rough in far west.
Weather: Squally snow showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very 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.