Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

New low expected southwest Bailey 990 by 1800 Friday. High Trafalgar 1030 expected south Biscay 1032 by same time. Low Hebrides 995 losing its identity

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 20 Feb 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Sat 21 Feb 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:52 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first in northeast, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain or sleet.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:52 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southerly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain or sleet.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:52 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or sleet.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: South 6 or 7, veering southwest, then west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: South 6 or 7, veering southwest, then west later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Occasional rain, or sleet in east.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: South or southeast 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or snow.
Visibility: Moderate occasionally very poor. Light icing in east.

German Bight

Wind: South or southeast 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or snow.
Visibility: Moderate occasionally very poor. Light icing in east.

Humber

Wind: Cyclonic becoming southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional sleet then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Cyclonic becoming southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional sleet then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6 backing southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6 backing southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6 backing southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6 backing southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: West 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough becoming mainly rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northeasterly 4 or 5 in southeast, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate in southeast and very rough at first in north.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in northwest, becoming variable 4 in far south.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:44 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 11:26 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026

Gale now ceased but southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Very rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:45 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026

Northwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, backing southwesterly later

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 09:52 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 09:52 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later in south.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:45 (UTC) on Thu 19 Feb 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in east.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Wintry 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.