Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Tuesday 27 January 2026

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 23:30 (UTC) on Tue 27 Jan 2026 for the period 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 28 Jan 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 29 Jan 2026 .

There are warnings of gales in Viking, South Utsire, Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne, Dogger, Fisher, German Bight, Trafalgar, FitzRoy, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faeroes and Southeast Iceland.

The general synopsis at 1800

Low west Rockall 961 moving away slowly west-northwestwards

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Southwest Viking

Southeasterly 6 to gale 8. Very rough, occasionally rough later. Occasional rain or snow. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor

Northeast Viking, North Utsire

Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5. Moderate or rough. Fair. Good

South Utsire, Northeast Forties

Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first. Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later in South Utsire. Occasional sleet or snow. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor. Light icing in South Utsire

Southwest Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne, Dogger

Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in southwest Forties and Cromarty, decreasing 4 to 6. Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in northwest Forties and east Cromarty, becoming moderate or rough elsewhere. Rain at times. Moderate or good, occasionally poor

Fisher, German Bight

Easterly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6 in German Bight, and later also in Fisher. Very rough until later in northwest Fisher, otherwise moderate or rough. Occasional sleet or snow. Good, occasionally very poor

Humber, Thames

Southerly or southeasterly, backing easterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in northeast Humber. Rough at first in north Humber, otherwise slight or moderate. Showers, fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor

Dover, Wight, Portland

Southwest backing south 3 to 5, then becoming variable 3 or less in Dover and Wight. Slight or moderate in southeast Wight, elsewhere mainly moderate or rough, but occasionally very rough at first in west Portland. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate

Plymouth, Biscay

South or southwest, backing southeast later in Plymouth, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in far west of Plymouth. Thundery showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor

Trafalgar

Mainly westerly or southwesterly 6 to gale 8, but becoming cyclonic severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 for a time at first. Mainly very rough or high, but occasionally very high at first in north. Rain or showers. Moderate or poor

FitzRoy, Sole

South or southwest becoming cyclonic, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in FitzRoy and 4 in Sole. Very rough or high. Rain or thundery showers. Moderate or poor

Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea

Southwest backing southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in Lundy and Fastnet. Very rough or high in southwest Fastnet, elsewhere rough or very rough, but becoming moderate or rough in Irish Sea. Showers, perhaps thundery. Moderate or good, occasionally poor

Shannon

South becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6. Very rough or high. Thundery showers. Moderate or poor

Rockall, Malin

Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9 becoming southeast 4 to 6. Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough in Malin. Showers, perhaps thundery. Moderate or good, occasionally poor

Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faeroes, Southeast Iceland

Easterly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 except in western Southeast Iceland. Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough except in Bailey and Southeast Iceland. Rain or showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor