Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Tuesday 21 April 2026

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 00:15 (UTC+1) on Tue 21 Apr 2026 for the period 01:00 (UTC+1) on Tue 21 Apr 2026 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Wed 22 Apr 2026 .

There are warnings of gales in Plymouth, Trafalgar, FitzRoy, Sole, Fastnet and Shannon.

The general synopsis at 1800

Low west Trafalgar 1000 expected just west of FitzRoy 982 by 1800 Tuesday. New low expected east FitzRoy 1002 by same time. High east of Iceland 1039 dissipating

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Viking, North Utsire, South Utsire

Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor

Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne, Dogger

East or northeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally poor

Fisher

Northeast, backing northwest later, 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally poor later

German Bight, Humber, Thames, Dover

East or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in German Bight. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good, occasionally moderate at first

Wight, Portland, Plymouth

East or northeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in Plymouth. Slight or moderate until later in Wight and Portland, otherwise moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west Plymouth. Fair. Good

Biscay

Easterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 in south, perhaps gale 8 later. Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough. Thundery showers. Good, occasionally poor

Trafalgar

Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 in far northwest. Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in northwest. Showers, thundery at first. Good, occasionally poor

FitzRoy

Easterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in northwest and 5 later elsewhere. Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in northwest. Occasional rain or thundery showers, fog patches in southeast. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in southeast and poor elsewhere

Sole

East 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9. Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in west. Occasional rain. Good, occasionally poor

Lundy, Fastnet

East 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 in Fastnet. In Lundy, slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south, but in Fastnet, moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in southwest. Fair. Good

Irish Sea

East 4 to 6. Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good

Shannon

Easterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in south. Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in southwest. Showers. Moderate or good

Rockall

Northeast 4 to 6, veering east 5 to 7. Moderate or rough. Showers. Moderate or good

Malin, Hebrides, Bailey

Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 later in north Bailey. Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east Malin and east Hebrides. Showers. Moderate or good

Fair Isle, Faeroes

East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 in Faeroes. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in southwest. Showers. Good, occasionally poor

Southeast Iceland

Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5 later. Moderate, occasionally rough at first in south. Fog patches. Good, occasionally very poor