Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

High Humber 1016 dissipating by midday tomorrow. New low expected Forties 1012 by same time

Issued at: 16:25 (UTC) on Mon 4 May 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Mon 4 May 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Tue 5 May 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less for a time, then occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming rough later in north.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less for a time, then occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less for a time, then occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming slight in east.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, then becoming north later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, then becoming north later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight until later in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, then becoming north later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight until later in west, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: West 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or less, then cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first and poor later.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate later in northwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Dover

Wind: Northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Wight

Wind: In southeast, northeasterly 3 to 5. In northwest, variable 3 or less becoming cyclonic mainly northerly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later in southeast.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: In southeast, moderate or good, occasionally poor at first. In northwest, good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: Variable 3 or less becoming cyclonic mainly northerly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor in south and moderate in north.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable 3 or less becoming cyclonic mainly northerly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in northeast, slight or moderate in southwest.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: In north, variable 3 or less becoming cyclonic mainly northerly 3 to 5. In south, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: In north, showers, perhaps thundery at first. In south, thundery showers.
Visibility: In north, good, occasionally moderate. In south, good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Sun 3 May 2026

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 at first in east, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 at first in east, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in northeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

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

Rockall

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5 veering north or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5 veering north or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5 veering north or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, moderate or rough in northwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5 veering north or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming north 4 to 6, backing northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5 becoming north 4 to 6, backing northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northwesterly 5 or 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 in southwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in east and slight in west.
Weather: Sleet or snow showers.
Visibility: 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.