Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at midnight

Low Trafalgar 1003 expected Biscay 1007 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Mon 24 Aug 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 24 Aug 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Tue 25 Aug 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 in east.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate at first in far east, otherwise smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate at first in far east, otherwise smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming slight in east, and later also in west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Northwesterly veering easterly or northeasterly, 2 to 4, increasing 5 later in southwest.
Sea state: Moderate becoming slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, moderate or rough in west.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in south, moderate or rough in north.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first and 2 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first and 2 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6 becoming west or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first in north.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Sole

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times in east, becoming variable 3 or less in west.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later in east.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: East or southeast, backing northeast for a time, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly mainly 3 to 5, but 6 at first in northwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Malin

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in west, slight or moderate in east.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Hebrides

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, moderate or rough in northwest.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Bailey

Wind: South 5 to 7, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough at first in northwest, otherwise rough, but becoming moderate later in southeast.
Weather: Rain in west.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor in west.

Fair Isle

Wind: Variable 3 or less at first in southeast, otherwise southwesterly backing southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwesterly backing southeasterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fog patches later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor later.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Sun 23 Aug 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in far west, becoming southerly 4 to 6, then becoming variable 3 later in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough for a time.
Weather: Rain, 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.