Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

High German Bight 1019 dissipating.

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Fri 10 Jul 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 10 Jul 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 11 Jul 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 at first, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fog patches, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

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

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fog patches, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth at first, and moderate at times later in east.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Fog patches, rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fisher

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in north, but variable 2 to 4 for a time in the east.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog banks.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: North or northwest occasionally variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog banks.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: Variable 3 or less becoming east or northeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in north, and variable 3 or less at times in south.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in northwest.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less in north.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first in southeast and later in west.
Weather: Showers in west.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, but variable 2 to 4 at times south.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally smooth in east and south.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in west.
Sea state: Moderate, rough at times later in west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fog patches at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor at first.

Fastnet

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor at first.

Irish Sea

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 2.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor at first.

Shannon

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later in southwest.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, except in northwest.
Sea state: Moderate, but occasionally rough at first in northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, but occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Hebrides

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Mainly moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in southeast.
Weather: Occasional rain and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

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

Faeroes

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Mainly moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Rough. Becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

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.