Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

Low Trafalgar 1002 slow-moving, filling 1007 by 1800 Sunday. High Faeroes 1046 expected 250 miles southwest of Iceland 1038 by same time

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Sat 27 Dec 2025.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Sun 28 Dec 2025 to 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 29 Dec 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 27 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Northeast backing northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: Northeast backing northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

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

Tyne

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

Dogger

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 27 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased but northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 for a time at first, occasionally gale 8 later in northeast.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate until later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 3, then northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 27 Dec 2025

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in south, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5 in north and also later in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in south.
Weather: Showers, thundery in south.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor in south.

FitzRoy

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in far south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor in south.

Sole

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough until later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Malin

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Hebrides

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Bailey

Wind: In south, variable 2 to 4. In north, southwesterly veering northwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: In south, moderate. in north, moderate, occasionally rough in north.
Weather: In south, fair. In north, showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in east.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, veering west 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sat 27 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: 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.