Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Thursday 8 October 2026

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 23:15 (UTC+1) on Wed 7 Oct 2026 for the period 00:00 (UTC+1) on Thu 8 Oct 2026 to 00:00 (UTC+1) on Fri 9 Oct 2026.

There are warnings of gales in Fisher, German Bight, Hebrides, Bailey, Faeroes, and Southeast Iceland.

The general synopsis at 1800

Low moving steadily northeast, expected 150 miles southwest of Iceland 983 by 1800 Thursday. High 250 miles west of FitzRoy 1033 slow-moving with little change by same time

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Viking, North Utsire, South Utsire, East Forties

Northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later. Moderate occasionally rough. Squally showers. Moderate or good

West Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne, Dogger

Northwesterly, backing southerly later, 4 to 6. Moderate, occasionally slight in Cromarty, Forth and Tyne, and rough in east Dogger. Showers, rain later. Moderate or good

Fisher, German Bight

Cyclonic becoming northwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later. Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first. Rain then squally showers. Good, occasionally poor

Humber, Thames, Dover, Wight

Northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first. Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in Dover and Wight and later elsewhere. Showers, rain later. Good, occasionally moderate

Portland, Plymouth

Northwest, backing southwest later, 4 to 6. Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate. Rain later. Good, occasionally moderate

Biscay

North or northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5. Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later. Showers. Good

Trafalgar

Cyclonic 3 to 5 in far southeast, otherwise northeasterly 5 to 7. Slight or moderate in far southeast, otherwise moderate or rough. Thundery showers. Good, occasionally poor

South FitzRoy

Northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in southeast. Moderate or rough. Fair. Good

North FitzRoy

Northerly backing westerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first. Moderate or rough. Fair. Good

Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea

Northwest backing west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later. Slight or moderate in Irish Sea, elsewhere moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate for a time in Lundy and Fastnet. Showers, rain later. Good, occasionally poor later

Shannon, Rockall

Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic, then west later, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later. Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later. Rain. Moderate or poor

Malin

Northwest backing south or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later. Moderate or rough. Showers then rain. Good, becoming moderate or poor

Hebrides, Bailey

Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming south or southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in Bailey and later in Hebrides, veering southwest 4 to 6 later. Moderate or rough. Showers then rain. Good, becoming moderate or poor

Fair Isle

Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southeast 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later. Moderate occasionally rough. Showers, rain later. Good, occasionally poor

Faeroes, Southeast Iceland

Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly, then cyclonic later, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in Southeast Iceland. Showers then rain. Good, occasionally poor