Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Low Irish Sea 1001 losing its identity

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Thu 20 Aug 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 20 Aug 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 21 Aug 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forties

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming north or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming north or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

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

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic, then northwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: West veering north or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, veering north or northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, veering north or northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, veering north or northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, veering north or northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: West 4 to 6, veering northwest, then north later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in northwest.
Weather: Showers, thundery at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north and also later in south.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: Northwest veering north, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwest veering north, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Cyclonic becoming north or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in north.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough at first, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers, squally at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Rockall

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: North 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: North 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: North 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Wind: North 4 to 6, backing northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northerly 4 or 5 at first in east, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming westerly 4 or 5 later in far west.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: 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.