Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

Low northeast Shannon 974 slow-moving, filling 982 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Wed 11 Feb 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Wed 11 Feb 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Thu 12 Feb 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Fair, then snow showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair, then snow showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: In north, easterly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5. In south, easterly 5 to 7 backing northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In north, slight or moderate. in south, moderate or rough.
Weather: In north, fair, then snow showers. In south, rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: In north, good, occasionally very poor. In south, moderate or good, occasionally poor. Light icing developing near norway.

Forties

Wind: Easterly 5 to 7 backing northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Easterly 5 to 7 backing northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Easterly 5 to 7 backing northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Easterly 5 to 7 backing northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Easterly 5 to 7 backing northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: East backing northeast 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or snow.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: East backing northeast 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in northwest, slight or moderate in southeast.
Weather: Occasional rain or snow, fog patches in south.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, decreasing 2 or 3 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, decreasing 2 or 3 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind: Cyclonic becoming west or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: Cyclonic becoming west or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate until later in southeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Wed 11 Feb 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south.
Sea state: Moderate at first in southeast, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 11 Feb 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Wed 11 Feb 2026

Westerly violent storm force 11 decreasing storm force 10 imminent, then decreasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: West or southwest gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first, then decreasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Wed 11 Feb 2026

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Wed 11 Feb 2026

Westerly violent storm force 11 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent, then decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: West or southwest gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11 at first, then decreasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 11 Feb 2026

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: West or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Lundy

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming west 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming west 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high for a time in south.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 11 Feb 2026

Gale now ceased but westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming high for a time in south.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Wed 11 Feb 2026

Gale force 8 backing northeasterly imminent

Wind: In south, cyclonic 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8. In north, northeasterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: In south, very rough. in north, rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: In south, rain or showers. In north, rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Northeasterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough in west, moderate or rough in east.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Northeasterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in east, rough or very rough in west.
Weather: Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:50 (UTC) on Wed 11 Feb 2026

Northeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Northeasterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Northeasterly 4 to 6, backing northerly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Sleet or snow showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, backing northerly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Sleet or snow showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northeasterly 4 to 6, backing northerly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Sleet or 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.