Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low Rockall 968 expected Hebrides 977 by 1800 Sunday

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Sun 12 Apr 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 13 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: South or southwest 6 or 7, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southwest 6 or 7, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: South or southwest 6 or 7, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: South or southwest 6 or 7, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: South or southwest 6 or 7, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 09:44 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly, 7 or gale 8 at first in northeast, otherwise 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in south and east, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7 decreasing 4 to 6, then 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers, squally at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7 decreasing 4 to 6, then 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers, squally at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7 decreasing 4 to 6, then 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers, squally at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7 decreasing 4 to 6, then 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers, squally at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7 decreasing 4 to 6, then 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Showers, squally at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7 decreasing 4 to 6, then 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers, squally at first, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Northerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 in west and later elsewhere.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally rough in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6, then 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6, then 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough, then moderate or rough later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6, then 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough, then moderate or rough later in north.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6, then 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Severe gale force 9 now veered westerly, decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Severe gale force 9 backing westerly imminent

Wind: West or northwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Gale force 8 now veered westerly, increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 until later.
Sea state: Very rough or high occasionally rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering southerly soon

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough occasionally high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Gale force 8 backing northwesterly imminent

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

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 23:11 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Gale force 8 now backed southeasterly

Wind: Southeast becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 16:14 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Southeast becoming cyclonic, 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:51 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Northeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally 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.