Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

High Rockall 1030 expected Forties 1033 by 1800 Tuesday. Low Iberia 1009 slow-moving, deepening 1007 by same time

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Mon 27 Apr 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 28 Apr 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 29 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable 4 or less.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth at first and moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Variable, mainly northeast, 4 or less.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable, mainly southeast, 4 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Forth

Wind: Northeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Dogger

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Fisher

Wind: Northeast becoming variable, 2 to 4, then northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
Weather: Rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Humber

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Thames

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Dover

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Wight

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: Northeasterly 4 to 6, but variable 3 or less in southeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 09:49 (UTC) on Mon 27 Apr 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northerly at first in west, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in east.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

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

Irish Sea

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in south.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: In northwest, southeasterly 3 to 5. In southeast, northeasterly 2 to 4, veering southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: In northwest, moderate or rough. in southeast, moderate.
Weather: In northwest, drizzle. In southeast, fair.
Visibility: In northwest, moderate or good. In southeast, good.

Malin

Wind: Northeasterly 2 to 4, veering southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate in northwest, but smooth or slight in southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Hebrides

Wind: In southeast, variable 4 or less. In northwest, southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5.
Sea state: In southeast, slight becoming moderate. in northwest, moderate or rough.
Weather: In southeast, fog patches. In northwest, drizzle.
Visibility: In southeast, good, occasionally very poor. In northwest, moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, but 6 in northwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough in northwest.
Weather: Drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Variable, mainly south, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain.
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.