Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

High Cromarty 1039 expected Norwegian Basin 1035 by 1800 Thursday. Low southwest Spain 1012 losing its identity

Issued at: 00:15 (UTC) on Thu 05 Nov 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 05 Nov 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 06 Nov 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, veering northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, veering northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, veering easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in south.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth at first and moderate later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: East or northeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

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

Tyne

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 at first in southwest, otherwise northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in southeast.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in east.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: East 4 or 5, veering southeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: East 4 or 5, veering southeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: East 4 or 5, veering southeast 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but rough at first in west.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6 in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming southeasterly 4 to 6 in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 4 or less.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: East 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: East 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, veering east or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: East 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Malin

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

Hebrides

Wind: East or southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Bailey

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Variable, mainly southeast later, 4 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Variable, mainly southeast later, 4 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.