Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

Low Shannon 1014 expected Biscay 1010 by 1800 Monday. Low Forties 1000 expected German Bight 1007 by same time. New lows expected Viking 1009 and Southeast Iceland 1011 by that time

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Sun 4 Jan 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 5 Jan 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 6 Jan 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Snow showers, squally at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Snow showers, squally at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Snow showers, squally at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally sleet or snow showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Squally sleet or snow showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Forth

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Squally sleet or snow showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Tyne

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally sleet or snow showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Dogger

Wind: In west, northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times. In east, cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally sleet or snow showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather: Squally wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind: West or northwest becoming cyclonic, then north later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: West or northwest becoming cyclonic, then north later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: West or northwest becoming cyclonic, then north later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 21:44 (UTC) on Sun 4 Jan 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4 becoming northerly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers or rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 17:24 (UTC) on Sun 4 Jan 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4 becoming northerly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, then occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Showers or rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 17:28 (UTC) on Sun 4 Jan 2026

Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northwesterly 4 or 5 at first in southeast, otherwise northerly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Mainly rough or very rough, but moderate or rough in far southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 15:56 (UTC) on Sun 4 Jan 2026

Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in east.
Sea state: Very rough at first in far south, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers or rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 4 Jan 2026

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in east.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers or rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Lundy

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming north 5 to 7, then backing northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming north 5 to 7, then backing northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: North 5 to 7, backing northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: North 5 to 7, becoming variable 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: North 5 to 7 backing west or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally sleet or snow showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.

Malin

Wind: North 5 to 7 backing west or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally sleet or snow showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.

Hebrides

Wind: North 5 to 7 backing west or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally sleet or snow showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.

Bailey

Wind: North 5 to 7 backing west or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally sleet or snow showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:40 (UTC) on Sun 4 Jan 2026

Northerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Mainly northerly 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 at first in northwest, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Very rough at first in northwest, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally snow showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Northerly 5 or 6 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Very rough at first in east, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Sleet or snow at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northerly 5 or 6 at first in east, otherwise cyclonic 3 to 5, but becoming northerly or northeasterly 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Sleet or snow at times.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.