Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Monday 23 February 2026

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 05:05 (UTC) on Mon 23 Feb 2026 for the period 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 23 Feb 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Tue 24 Feb 2026 .

There are warnings of gales in Rockall, Malin and Hebrides.

The general synopsis at midnight

Low Bailey 986 and low Norwegian Basin 991, both losing their identities by midnight tonight.

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Viking

Southwest 4 or 5 becoming variable 3, then south 4 or 5. Moderate. Showers at first. Good

North Utsire, South Utsire

Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4. Moderate. Showers. Moderate or good

Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne, Dogger

West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4, backing south 4 to 6 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough until later in Forties and Dogger. Showers, rain later. Moderate or good

Fisher, German Bight, Humber, Thames

West or southwest 5 to 7 decreasing 3 or 4. Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate. Occasional rain, fog patches later. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later

Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth, North Biscay

Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in Dover. Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough in Portland, Plymouth and north Biscay, occasionally very rough in west Plymouth. Occasional rain, fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor

South Biscay, Southeast FitzRoy

Variable 2 to 4 becoming southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast FitzRoy. Moderate or rough. Fair. Good

Trafalgar (issued 0015 UTC)

Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, except in south. Moderate or rough. Fair. Moderate or good.

Northwest FitzRoy, Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea

Southwesterly backing southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest FitzRoy and Sole. Rough or very rough, but slight or moderate in Irish Sea. Occasional rain, fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor

Shannon

Southwest backing south 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. Very rough, occasionally high at first. Occasional rain. Good, occasionally poor

Rockall, Malin, South Hebrides

Southwesterly 6 to gale 8 decreasing 4 or 5, then backing southerly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough. Squally showers then rain. Good, occasionally poor

North Hebrides, Bailey

Cyclonic becoming southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough. Showers, rain later. Good, occasionally poor

Fair Isle

Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southeast 5 to 7 later. Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in southeast. Showers at first, rain later. Moderate or good

Faeroes

Northeast 4 or 5 veering southeast 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. Rough or very rough. Showers at first, rain later. Moderate or good

Southeast Iceland

Easterly veering southeasterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 for a time, perhaps gale 8 later. Rough or very rough. Occasional rain. Good, occasionally poor