Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

Low Rockall 965 expected Hebrides 975 by midday tomorrow.

Issued at: 16:25 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Sun 12 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Rain or showers, squally at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, squally at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Southeasterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, squally at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7, but 7 to severe gale 9 at first in northeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but very rough at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, bec slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southeasterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, bec slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 09:44 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering south 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7, veering south 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in south.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high until later, but rough or very rough in east.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Northerly gale force 8 continuing

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Fri 10 Apr 2026

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 near portuguese coast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:44 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Westerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: West or northwest 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high until later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, but occasionally very high at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:57 (UTC) on Fri 10 Apr 2026

Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 21:57 (UTC) on Fri 10 Apr 2026

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly later

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southwesterly storm force 10 veering westerly and decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic, gale 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 3 to 5.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first, becoming very rough later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent, veering northwesterly soon

Wind: Cyclonic, gale 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming very rough later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 15:45 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 5 at times.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:57 (UTC) on Fri 10 Apr 2026

Southeasterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic gale 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 09:44 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Easterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, and veering southeasterly soon

Wind: Cyclonic gale 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 16:14 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly southeast 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Sat 11 Apr 2026

Easterly severe gale force 9 continuing, backing northeasterly soon

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly easterly or northeasterly, 7 to severe gale 9 in north, but 4 to 6 in south, becoming 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally 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.