Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 0600

Low to north of Norwegian Basin 998 expected to north of Faeroes 996 by 0600 tomorrow. Low Hebrides 1006 moving slowly east-northeastwards, losing its identity

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Thu 30 Jul 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Thu 30 Jul 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Fri 31 Jul 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight becoming moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight becoming moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

South Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight becoming moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Forties

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Cromarty

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Forth

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: West 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: West 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: West 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps fog patches at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate and perhaps very poor at first.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far north.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Dover

Wind: West or southwest, veering northwest later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: West or southwest, veering northwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: West or southwest, veering northwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: West or southwest, veering northwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: North 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 at times.
Sea state: Slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

FitzRoy

Wind: North 3 or 4, becoming variable 2 at times.
Sea state: Slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later to the south of portugal, decreasing 2 at times elsewhere.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, slight throughout in west.
Weather: Showers in north.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate and perhaps poor.

Malin

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate and perhaps poor.

Hebrides

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: Cyclonic at first, otherwise west or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate and perhaps poor.

Faeroes

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly, backing westerly for a time, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in far northeast.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shipping forecast information

The shipping forecast is issued four times a day at 2300, 0500, 1100, 1700 UTC and covers a period of 24 hours from 0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 UTC respectively.

The waters around the British Isles are divided into 31 sea areas shown on the map.

The forecast contains details of gale warnings in force, a general synopsis and sea-area forecasts containing wind direction and force, sea state, weather and visibility.

Gale warnings are issued as required throughout the day (for winds of Gale Force 8 or more).

Marine forecasts disclaimer

In the UK, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) is responsible for the provision of Maritime Safety Information (MSI) to ships at sea, which includes the broadcast of warnings and forecasts. The Met Office initiates warnings and prepares routine forecasts for dissemination on behalf of the MCA.

Caution: The internet is not part of the Maritime Safety Information system and should never be relied upon as the only means to obtain the latest forecast and warning information. Access to the service may be interrupted or delayed from time to time, updates may also be delayed.

Please refer to GMDSS services, INMARSAT SafetyNET or international NAVTEX for the latest information. When using these web pages, always check that the page on your screen is not from your cache. Use the Refresh or Reload button if in any doubt.