Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low Sole 1002 expected south Irish Sea 1005 by 1800 Thursday

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Wed 26 Aug 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 27 Aug 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 28 Aug 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable mainly easterly, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later in south.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in east.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Cromarty

Wind: East or southeast, veering northeast later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: East or southeast, veering northeast later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: East, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Thundery rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: East, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Thundery rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: East or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

German Bight

Wind: East or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Humber

Wind: East, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair then thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: East, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in southeast, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair then thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: East or southeast, veering west or southwest, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: East or southeast, veering west or southwest, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: East or southeast, veering west or southwest, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Thundery rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: East or southeast, veering west or southwest, 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic mainly southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in south.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Southwesterly veering westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in southwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in north.
Sea state: Smooth or slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fair then thundery rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Northeast backing north, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in south and slight in northeast.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

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

Malin

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5 later except in northwest.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: East becoming cyclonic, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Occasional rain, 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.