Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

Low Hebrides 983 moving steadily northeast and losing its identity by midnight tonight. New low expected 100 miles west of Rockall 992 by same time

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Thu 18 Sep 2025.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 18 Sep 2025 to 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 19 Sep 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:48 (UTC) on Wed 17 Sep 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, veering westerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 09:48 (UTC) on Wed 17 Sep 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough for a time in northeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 09:48 (UTC) on Wed 17 Sep 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, increasing severe gale 9 at times, then decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 09:48 (UTC) on Wed 17 Sep 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, backing south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Wed 17 Sep 2025

Wind: Easterly 5 or 6 in far southeast, otherwise variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: In southeast, moderate. in northwest, rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather: In southeast, fair. In northwest, rain or drizzle.
Visibility: In southeast, good. In northwest, good occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather: Rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Cyclonic becoming southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:36 (UTC) on Thu 18 Sep 2025

Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later in far northwest.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in east and later in west.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 21:49 (UTC) on Wed 17 Sep 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:49 (UTC) on Wed 17 Sep 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwest 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:49 (UTC) on Wed 17 Sep 2025

Northeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Northeasterly 7 or gale 8, decreasing 5 or 6, then increasing 7 or gale 8 later, perhaps severe gale 9 later in south.
Sea state: High becoming very rough, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:36 (UTC) on Thu 18 Sep 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 veering westerly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, becoming north or northwest 4 to 6, veering east or southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in southwest, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 21:49 (UTC) on Wed 17 Sep 2025

Northeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly northeasterly, 7 to severe gale 9, backing north 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:49 (UTC) on Wed 17 Sep 2025

Northeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly northeasterly, 7 to severe gale 9, backing north 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Rain or 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.