Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Friday 16 January 2026

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 11:30 (UTC) on Fri 16 Jan 2026 for the period 12:00 (UTC) on Fri 16 Jan 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Sat 17 Jan 2026 .

There are warnings of gales in Shannon.

The general synopsis at 0600

Low Fastnet 989 slow-moving, filling 1004 by 0600 tomorrow.

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Viking

Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast 4 or 5. Moderate. Showers. Good

North Utsire, South Utsire, East Forties

Cyclonic becoming southerly or southeasterly, 4 to 6. Moderate, occasionally rough at first. Rain then showers. Good, occasionally poor at first

West Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne

Southerly or southwesterly backing southeasterly later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later. Slight or moderate. Fair then showers. Good

Dogger

South or southwest backing southeast, 3 to 5. Slight or moderate. Showers. Good

Fisher, German Bight

West or southwest 5 to 7, backing south or southeast 4 or 5. Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate. Fog patches later. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later

Humber, Thames, Dover, Wight

South or southeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in Thames. Showers, fog patches later in Humber and Thames. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later in Humber and Thames

Portland, Plymouth

South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first. Moderate or rough in Portland, rough or very rough in Plymouth. Showers. Moderate or good, occasionally poor

Biscay

South or southwest 4 to 6, veering west 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less later. Rough or very rough. Showers. Good, occasionally poor

Trafalgar (issued 0015 UTC)

West or northwest 4 to 6. Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in southeast. Thundery showers. Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in far west, becoming variable 3 or less later in east. Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later. Thundery showers. Moderate or poor

West Sole

Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first. High, becoming very rough. Squally showers. Moderate or poor

East Sole, Lundy, Fastnet

Southerly or southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6. Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in east Sole, becoming moderate or rough later in Lundy and Fastnet. Showers. Good, occasionally poor

Irish Sea

South or southeast 4 to 6. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in far south. Showers. Good, occasionally poor

Southwest Shannon

Northerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first. High becoming very rough, then rough later. Squally showers. Moderate or poor

Northeast Shannon, Rockall

Cyclonic 4 to 6, by northerly 2 to 4 later. Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later. Showers. Good, occasionally poor

Malin, Hebrides

South or southeast 3 to 5. Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally slight later. Showers. Good, occasionally poor

Bailey

Variable 2 to 4. Rough becoming moderate. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate

Fair Isle, Faeroes

South or southeast 3 to 5. Moderate or rough. Showers. Good, occasionally poor

Southeast Iceland

Cyclonic becoming easterly or northeasterly, 3 to 5. Rough becoming moderate. Showers. Good, occasionally poor