Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

Low Iceland 1002, expected 100 miles northeast of Iceland 1004 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Thu 13 Aug 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Thu 13 Aug 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Fri 14 Aug 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: South 4 to 6, veering west 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: South 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: South or southeast 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5, veering northwest 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5, veering northwest 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: South or southeast, becoming variable later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: South or southeast, becoming variable later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Southeast, veering west or northwest later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in far southeast.
Weather: Showers in west.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in south.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming west or northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches, showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest 3 or 4, veering northwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery with fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Rockall

Wind: Southwest veering west 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery with fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Malin

Wind: Southwest veering west 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery with fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Hebrides

Wind: Southwest veering west 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery with fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Bailey

Wind: Southwest veering west 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: South veering southwest later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwesterly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southwesterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less later in north.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Occasional 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.