Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Thursday 18 September 2025

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 05:05 (UTC+1) on Thu 18 Sep 2025 for the period 07:00 (UTC+1) on Thu 18 Sep 2025 to 07:00 (UTC+1) on Fri 19 Sep 2025 .

There are warnings of gales in Viking, Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faeroes and Southeast Iceland.

The general synopsis at midnight

Low Hebrides 983 moving steadily northeast and losing its identity by midnight tonight. New low expected 100 miles west of Rockall 992 by same time

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Viking, North Utsire, South Utsire

Southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time in Viking, veering westerly 4 to 6 later. Rough or very rough. Rain or showers. Moderate or good

Forties, Cromarty, Forth

West or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in Cromarty, decreasing 4 to 6 later. Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in northeast Forties, becoming slight or moderate later in Cromarty and Forth. Showers. Good

Tyne, Dogger, Fisher, German Bight

Southwest 5 to 7. Slight or moderate in Tyne, moderate or rough elsewhere. Showers. Good

Humber, Thames, Dover

Southwest 4 to 6. Slight or moderate. Mainly fair. Good

Wight, Portland, Plymouth

Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 3 to 5 later. Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in Wight and Portland. Mainly fair. Good

Biscay

Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4. Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest. Fair. Good

Trafalgar (issued 2315 UTC)

Easterly 5 or 6 in far southeast, otherwise variable, 2 to 4. Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast. Showers. Good.

Southeast FitzRoy

Variable 2 to 4. Moderate. Fair. Good

Northwest FitzRoy, Sole

Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. Rough, occasionally very rough in west. Rain or drizzle. Good occasionally poor

Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea

Southwest 5 to 7. Slight or moderate at first in Irish Sea, otherwise moderate or rough. Occasional rain. Good, occasionally poor

Shannon

Cyclonic becoming southwest 5 to 7. Rough or very rough. Occasional rain. Good, occasionally poor

Rockall

Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later in far northwest. Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in east and later in west. Rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor

Malin, Hebrides

Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough. Rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor

Bailey

Northeasterly 7 or gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6, then increasing 7 or gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later in south. High becoming very rough, occasionally rough later. Rain or showers. Good occasionally poor

Fair Isle

Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, becoming north or northwest 4 to 6, veering east or southeast 3 to 5 later. Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in southwest, becoming moderate or rough later. Occasional rain. Good, occasionally poor

Faeroes, Southeast Iceland

Cyclonic, mainly northeasterly, 7 to severe gale 9, backing north 5 to 7. Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first. Rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor