Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Tuesday 28 April 2026

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 05:05 (UTC+1) on Tue 28 Apr 2026 for the period 07:00 (UTC+1) on Tue 28 Apr 2026 to 07:00 (UTC+1) on Wed 29 Apr 2026 .

The general synopsis at midnight

High Viking 1032 expected Forties 1033 by midnight tonight. Low Trafalgar 1009 expected southeast FitzRoy 1007 by same time

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Viking

Variable 4 or less. Slight, occasionally moderate later in far northwest. Drizzle. Good, occasionally poor

North Utsire, South Utsire

Northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 or 5. Slight, occasionally smooth at first in South Utsire and moderate later in South Utsire. Drizzle. Good, occasionally poor

Forties

Variable 4 or less, but northerly or northeasterly 3 or 4 in southeast. Slight, occasionally moderate at first in southeast. Fair. Good

Cromarty

Variable, mainly southeast, 4 or less. Smooth or slight. Fair. Good

Forth

Northeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less. Slight, occasionally smooth in west. Fair. Good

Tyne, Dogger

Northeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Showers at first. Good

Fisher

Variable 4 or less becoming northwest 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate. Fair. Good

German Bight, Humber

Northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in German Bight. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east German Bight. Showers at first in Humber. Good

Thames, Dover, Wight

Northeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7. Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in Wight. Rain, fair later. Good, occasionally moderate

Portland, Plymouth

Northeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7. Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later. Rain or showers, perhaps thundery later. Good, occasionally poor

Biscay, FitzRoy

Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in FitzRoy, but cyclonic in southeast. Slight or moderate in Biscay, moderate or rough in FitzRoy. Thundery showers. Good, occasionally poor

Trafalgar (issued 2315 UTC)

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

Sole, Lundy, Fastnet

Northeast 4 to 6. In Sole moderate, becoming rough later in southeast, elsewhere slight or moderate. Showers. Good

Irish Sea, Shannon

East or northeast 3 to 5. In Irish Sea smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later, but moderate in Shannon. Fair. Good

Northwest Rockall

Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5. Moderate or rough. Drizzle. Moderate or good

Southeast Rockall, Malin

Variable at first in Malin, otherwise easterly or southeasterly 2 to 4. Moderate, but smooth or slight in southeast Malin. Mainly fair. Moderate or good

Southeast Hebrides

Variable 4 or less, becoming southerly 2 to 4. Slight or moderate. Fog patches. Good, occasionally very poor

Northwest Hebrides, Bailey

Southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5, but 6 in northwest Bailey. Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough in Bailey. Drizzle. Moderate or good

Fair Isle

South or southwest 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far west. Fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor

Faeroes

Southwest 4 to 6. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west. Drizzle. Moderate or good, occasionally poor

Southeast Iceland

Southwesterly 5 to 7. Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough. Rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor