Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at midnight

Low Malin 980 expected north of Faeroes 985 by midnight tonight

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

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 04 Jun 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 05 Jun 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southeasterly 4 to 6, veering southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly 4 to 6, veering southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly 4 to 6, veering southerly or southwesterly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: South veering west, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in south.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: South 3 to 5 veering west 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: South 3 to 5 veering west 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: South veering southwest, 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: South veering southwest, 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: South veering southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in east, becoming slight in west.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 21:54 (UTC) on Wed 03 Jun 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 21:54 (UTC) on Wed 03 Jun 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7, veering west 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7, veering west 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Southwest 6 or 7, veering west 4 or 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 5 to 7 later in west.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers at first, rain later in northwest.
Visibility: Good, becoming poor later in northwest.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first in southeast.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:52 (UTC) on Wed 03 Jun 2026

Westerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: West or northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high, becoming rough later.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: West or northwest 6 or 7, backing southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 03:44 (UTC) on Thu 04 Jun 2026

Westerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: West or northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: In southwest very rough, occasionally high, becoming rough later, elsewhere rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 15:52 (UTC) on Wed 03 Jun 2026

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly soon

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Wed 03 Jun 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally 5 at first, backing southwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate at first in north.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 03:44 (UTC) on Thu 04 Jun 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming west 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, otherwise moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming west 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:44 (UTC) on Thu 04 Jun 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming west 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight, becoming rough later in west.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
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.