Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 0600

High 600 miles west of northern Scotland 1030 slow-moving, intensifying 1031 by 0600 tomorrow. Low west FitzRoy 1017 losing its identity

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Thu 16 Jul 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Thu 16 Jul 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Fri 17 Jul 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northerly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first in west.
Sea state: Smooth at first in west, otherwise slight, but becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4 increasing 5 or 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 in west but becoming variable 2 to 4 in east.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate in west.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forties

Wind: Variable 3 or less becoming north 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 3 or less becoming north 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: Variable 3 or less becoming north 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 3 or less becoming north 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 3 or less becoming north 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 2 to 4, increasing 5 later in northwest.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later in northwest.
Weather: Thundery showers developing.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers developing.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Thundery showers in south.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in north.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Variable becoming northwest, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Variable, becoming westerly or northwesterly, 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 later in southeast.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in far southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: East or northeast becoming variable mainly north, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first in east.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: East or northeast becoming variable mainly north, 2 to 4, occasionally 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: East or northeast becoming variable mainly north, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: East or northeast becoming variable mainly north, 2 to 4, occasionally 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Malin

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first, increasing 6 at times later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 2 to 4 backing northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in south.
Sea state: Smooth or slight at first in east, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle for a time.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming north or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight at first in far southeast, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: Variable 3 or less becoming north 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in west, and later also in east.
Weather: Fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Faeroes

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time in west.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in far north but becoming rough for a time in west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

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.