Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

High near the Azores 1032 expected 150 miles west of FitzRoy 1034 by 1800 Thursday. Low Spain 1009 slow-moving, filling 1012 by same time

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Wed 2 Jul 2025.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 3 Jul 2025 to 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 4 Jul 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northwest, backing south later, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly, backing southerly later, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Thu 3 Jul 2025

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: Northwest backing southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Thu 3 Jul 2025

Northwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing southwesterly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Northwest backing west 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: North 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: North 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 for a time.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 or 3 for a time.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in north.
Weather: Thundery showers in southeast.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 21:49 (UTC) on Wed 2 Jul 2025

Northerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: In southeast, cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in west. In northwest, northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north.
Sea state: In southeast, moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east. in northwest, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:49 (UTC) on Wed 2 Jul 2025

Gale force 8 now veered northeasterly

Wind: In south, northeasterly 6 to gale 8. In north, northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In south, moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in south. in north, slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: West or northwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: West or northwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: West or northwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Northwest 3 or 4, backing southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough in north.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:42 (UTC) on Thu 3 Jul 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate at first in east, otherwise rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Malin

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery for a time.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in south.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Fair Isle

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.