Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

High 450 miles west of Shannon 1027 expected east Sole 1026 by 1800 Thursday. Low southeast Fair Isle 1001 losing its identity

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Wed 05 Aug 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 06 Aug 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 07 Aug 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery rain, then showers, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

North Utsire

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery rain, then showers, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

South Utsire

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5 veering northwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in east.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery rain, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 21:58 (UTC) on Wed 05 Aug 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming northwest 6 to gale 8, backing west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery rain, then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Cromarty

Wind: West or northwest 6 or 7 decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Forth

Wind: West or northwest 6 or 7 decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Tyne

Wind: West or northwest 6 or 7 decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in east, slight or moderate in west.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Dogger

Wind: West or northwest 6 or 7 decreasing 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Fisher

Wind: Southwesterly veering northwesterly 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later in northeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Southwesterly veering northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 4 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time in northeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northerly 4 to 6 in east but variable 2 to 4 in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 except in northeast.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming slight in northeast.
Weather: Thundery rain in west.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor in west.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 5 later in southwest.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming slight in east.
Weather: Rain later in west.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later in west.

Lundy

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, backing west or southwest 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, backing west or southwest 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, backing west or southwest 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Northwest backing south or southwest, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, moderate throughout in west.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Northwest backing west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Northwest backing west or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: North 5 to 7 backing northwest 3 to 5, then backing southwest later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Wind: Northwest backing southwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southwesterly, becoming cyclonic later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair then rain, fog patches in north.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in north.

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.