Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Low just west of Rockall 992 expected Faeroes 995 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Fri 17 Apr 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 17 Apr 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 18 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: Southeast, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
Weather: Occasional rain, then showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southeast, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in northeast.
Weather: Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: Southeast, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: Southeast, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: Southeast, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, then showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind: Southeast, veering southwest later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, then showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: Southeast, veering southwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, then showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6, veering northwesterly 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: In northwest, southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 2 to 4 later. In southeast, variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: In northwest, occasional rain. In southeast, mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Thu 16 Apr 2026

Wind: In southeast, easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6. In northwest, variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: In southeast, moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later. in northwest, rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In southeast, variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later. In northwest, southwesterly 4 to 6 veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: In southeast, moderate or rough, becoming moderate. in northwest, rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, rain then showers.
Visibility: In southeast, good, occasionally poor. In northwest, moderate or good.

Sole

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6 veering westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Lundy

Wind: South or southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Fastnet

Wind: South or southwest, veering west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough at first in far west, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Irish Sea

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, then veering west later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Thu 16 Apr 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8 veering west 5 or 6, then northwest 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:51 (UTC) on Fri 17 Apr 2026

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly imminent, then veering westerly soon

Wind: Cyclonic becoming west or northwest, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 09:46 (UTC) on Thu 16 Apr 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South veering west or southwest, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Thu 16 Apr 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South veering west or southwest, 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:51 (UTC) on Fri 17 Apr 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in south and east.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southeasterly, veering southwesterly later, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Variable 3 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, 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.