Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

Low 450 miles west of Rockall 980 expected Shannon 989 by 0600 tomorrow. New low expected Forties 993 by same time

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Fri 16 Jan 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Gale force 8 now backed southeasterly

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough at first in northeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming good for a time.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Gale force 8 now backed southeasterly

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming good for a time.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 11:49 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Gale force 8 now backed southeasterly

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming good for a time.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: In east, southwesterly becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming westerly 6 to gale 8 later. In west, southwesterly 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then mainly southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate in west.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then mainly southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then mainly southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4, then mainly southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest, becoming cyclonic for a time, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 11:59 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: South or southwest, becoming cyclonic for a time, 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 11:59 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: South 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic then southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 11:59 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: South 6 to gale 8, becoming cyclonic then southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 11:59 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: South 6 to gale 8 becoming cyclonic then southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 11:59 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: South 6 to gale 8 becoming cyclonic then southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, occasionally good.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 11:59 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8 becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor becoming moderate or good.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 11:59 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 at first, becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor becoming moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough except in far southeast.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 11:59 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: In southeast, cyclonic 6 to gale 8 becoming westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6. In northwest, westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 in west.
Sea state: In southeast, rough or very rough. in northwest, very rough becoming high.
Weather: In southeast, rain then showers. In northwest, squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor, becoming moderate or good in southeast.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 in west.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming high in west.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in northeast, rough or very rough in southwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

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

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Thu 15 Jan 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, but increasing 6 to gale 8 in south.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Wind: Southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough later in far northwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Malin

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6 backing south or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6 backing south or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southeast, rough or very rough in northwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first in east.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:44 (UTC) on Wed 14 Jan 2026

Northeasterly gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic mainly 3 to 5, but 6 to gale 8 until later in northwest.
Sea state: Very rough until later except in far north, otherwise rough.
Weather: Wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.

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