Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Tuesday 17 February 2026

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 23:30 (UTC) on Tue 17 Feb 2026 for the period 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 18 Feb 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026 .

There are warnings of gales in Humber, Thames, Wight, Portland, Plymouth, Biscay, FitzRoy, Sole, Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea, Shannon, Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey and Southeast Iceland.

The general synopsis at 1800

Low 140 mile west of Rockall 986 expected Rockall 985 by 1800 Thursday. New low expected Plymouth 987 by same time. High 1017 northeast England dissipating by that time

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Viking, North Utsire, South Utsire, Northeast Forties

Westerly or northwesterly, backing southerly or southeasterly later, 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time. Moderate or rough. Wintry showers. Moderate or good

Southwest Forties, Cromarty, Forth, Tyne, Dogger, Fisher, German Bight

Variable 2 to 4, becoming mainly southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, except in Fisher. Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east Fisher and east German Bight. Fair. Good

Humber, Thames, Dover

East or northeast 2 to 4, veering east or southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in Humber and Thames. Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in Dover. Rain later. Moderate or good

Wight, Portland

Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later, decreasing 4 at times in south. Moderate, occasionally rough, slight at times in south. Rain. Good, occasionally poor

Plymouth

Cyclonic 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times, occasional gale 8 later. Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in southwest. Rain. Good, occasionally poor

Biscay

West or southwest 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later. Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high. Rain. Moderate or poor

Trafalgar

Cyclonic becoming northwesterly later, 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 for a time in north. Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in north. Showers. Good

FitzRoy, Sole

Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west or northwest, 7 to severe gale 9 later. Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high. Rain. Moderate or poor

Lundy, Fastnet

Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later, but increasing 7 or gale 8 again later in west Fastnet. Moderate or rough, becoming very rough or high later in southwest Fastnet. Rain. Good, occasionally poor

Irish Sea

Southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later. Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough for a time. Rain. Moderate or good

Shannon

Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, perhaps storm 10 later. Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later, occasionally very high later in west. Showers. Moderate or poor

Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey

Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 except in Bailey, decreasing 5 at times in Bailey and later elsewhere. Rough or very rough, moderate at times in east Malin and east Hebrides, occasionally high for a time in Rockall and Bailey. Rain. Moderate or poor

Fair Isle, Faeroes, Southeast Iceland

Northeasterly 6 to gale 8 in western Southeast Iceland, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times. Rough or very rough, but becoming moderate or rough in Fair Isle. Wintry showers. Good, occasionally very poor