Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Low 500 miles west of Shannon 987 moving slowly north, filling 991 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Thu 21 May 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 21 May 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 22 May 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: Southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: South or southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: South or southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth later.
Weather: Rain at first in northwest.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: South or southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Southwest becoming variable, then southeast later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: Southwest becoming variable, then southeast later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Drizzle later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Biscay

Wind: East or southeast 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate in northwest.

Trafalgar

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, but easterly 4 to 6 in far southeast.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in far southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in northwest.
Weather: Rain or showers in northwest.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Sole

Wind: South 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Fastnet

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Irish Sea

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Shannon

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in south.
Weather: Rain at times, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough at first in far west, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Faeroes

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in south.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, but variable 2 to 4 in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.