Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Tuesday 16 December 2025

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 11:30 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025 for the period 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 16 Dec 2025 to 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 17 Dec 2025 .

There are warnings of gales in Viking, Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Trafalgar, FitzRoy, Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea, Shannon, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey, Fair Isle, Faeroes and Southeast Iceland.

The general synopsis at 0600

Lows hampshire 1003 and Biscay 1003 losing their identities

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Viking

Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 6 to gale 8 later. Moderate or rough. Showers, rain later. Good, occasionally moderate later

North Utsire, South Utsire

Westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4, backing southerly 4 to 6 later. Moderate or rough in North Utsire, moderate in South Utsire. Showers. Good

Forties

West or southwest 3 to 5, backing south 6 to gale 8 later. Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough later. Occasional rain. Good, occasionally poor

Cromarty, Forth

Southwest 3 to 5, backing south 6 to gale 8 later. Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough later. Rain later. Good, occasionally poor later

Tyne, Dogger

Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming south or southwest 5 to 7 later. Slight or moderate. Occasional rain. Good, occasionally poor

Fisher, German Bight, Humber

Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southwest 4 to 6 later. Slight or moderate. Rain. Good, occasionally poor

Thames, Dover, Wight

Cyclonic becoming southwest later, 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, but moderate in west Wight. Occasional rain. Good occasionally moderate

Portland, Plymouth

Northwest backing southwest 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later. Moderate or rough. Occasional rain later. Good occasionally moderate later

Biscay, Southeast FitzRoy

Northerly 4 to 6, but 5 to 7 in southeast FitzRoy, backing southwesterly 4 to 6 later. Very rough at first in southeast FitzRoy, otherwise rough. Rain or showers. Good, occasionally poor

Trafalgar (issued 0015 UTC)

North or northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally 4 later. Rough or very rough, occasionally high. Thundery showers. Good, occasionally poor.

Northwest FitzRoy, Sole

Westerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southerly 6 to gale 8. Rough or very rough. Mainly fair, then rain. Good, occasionally poor

Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea

West or northwest 3 or 4, backing southwest 6 to gale 8 later. Smooth or slight becoming moderate or rough in Irish Sea, otherwise moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough later. Rain later. Good, becoming moderate or poor later

Shannon, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey

Southwest 5 to 7, but 4 to 6 at first in Shannon and Bailey, backing south or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, veering southwest 6 to gale 8 later. Very rough or high. Thundery showers or rain. Good, occasionally poor

Fair Isle

Southwest 5 to 7, backing south 6 to gale 8 later. Very rough in northwest, moderate or rough in southeast. Thundery showers, rain later. Good, occasionally poor

Faeroes, Southeast Iceland

Southwesterly 4 to 6, backing southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9 later, veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8 later. Rough or very rough. Thundery showers, rain later. Good, occasionally poor