Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Sunday 4 January 2026

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 23:30 (UTC) on Sun 4 Jan 2026 for the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 5 Jan 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 6 Jan 2026 .

There are warnings of gales in Plymouth, Biscay, Trafalgar, FitzRoy, Sole and Fair Isle.

The general synopsis at 1800

Low Shannon 1014 expected Biscay 1010 by 1800 Monday. Low Forties 1000 expected German Bight 1007 by same time. New lows expected Viking 1009 and Southeast Iceland 1011 by that time

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Viking, North Utsire, South Utsire

Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later. Moderate or rough. Snow showers, squally at times. Good, occasionally very poor

Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne, West Dogger

Cyclonic at first in Forties and Cromarty, otherwise northerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times. Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later in Cromarty and Forth. Squally sleet or snow showers. Good, occasionally very poor

East Dogger, Fisher, German Bight, Humber, Thames

Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in Humber and Thames. Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in Thames. Squally wintry showers. Good, occasionally very poor

Dover, Wight, Portland

West or northwest becoming cyclonic, then north later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in Portland. Slight or moderate. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor

Plymouth, Biscay

Cyclonic 2 to 4 becoming northerly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, perhaps severe gale 9 later in Biscay. Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, then occasionally very rough later in Biscay. Showers or rain. Good, occasionally poor

Trafalgar

Northwesterly 4 or 5 at first in southeast, otherwise northerly 6 to gale 8. Mainly rough or very rough, but moderate or rough in far southeast. Showers. Moderate or good

FitzRoy, Sole

Cyclonic becoming northerly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in east. Very rough at first in far south of FitzRoy, otherwise moderate or rough. Showers or rain. Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first

Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea, Shannon

Cyclonic 4 to 6 at first in Lundy and Fastnet, otherwise north 5 to 7, backing northwest 4 or 5 later, but becoming variable 3 or 4 later in Shannon. Moderate or rough in Shannon, but elsewhere slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first. Rain at first in Lundy and Fastnet, otherwise wintry showers. Good, occasionally poor

Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey

North 5 to 7 backing west or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later. Rough or very rough at first in Rockall and Hebrides, otherwise moderate or rough. Squally sleet or snow showers, then rain later. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first and poor later

Fair Isle

Mainly northerly 4 to 6, but 6 to gale 8 at first in northwest, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. Very rough at first in northwest, otherwise moderate or rough. Squally snow showers. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor

Faeroes, Southeast Iceland

Northerly 5 or 6 at first except in western Southeast Iceland, otherwise cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northerly or northeasterly 5 or 6 later in Southeast Iceland. Very rough at first in east Faeroes, otherwise moderate or rough. Sleet or snow at times. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor