Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at 1800

Low Shannon 989 expected southeast England 1003 by 1800 Saturday

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Fri 05 Jun 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Sat 06 Jun 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Sun 07 Jun 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forties

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, backing southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: West backing south or southeast, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

German Bight

Wind: West backing south or southeast, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

Humber

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain, showers later, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 15:44 (UTC) on Fri 05 Jun 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 15:44 (UTC) on Fri 05 Jun 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 09:49 (UTC) on Fri 05 Jun 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:49 (UTC) on Fri 05 Jun 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate at first, otherwise rough or very rough occasionally, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 09:49 (UTC) on Fri 05 Jun 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, veering westerly later

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 03:50 (UTC) on Fri 05 Jun 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in far northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, then fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Fri 05 Jun 2026

Westerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Westerly 6 to gale 8. Occasionally severe gale 9 at first in far north, backing southwesterly, but northerly in southeast, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Fri 05 Jun 2026

Northwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, becoming southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:49 (UTC) on Fri 05 Jun 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, veering westerly later

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain until later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor until later.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 03:50 (UTC) on Fri 05 Jun 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon, veering westerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9, becoming southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain until later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor until later.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 21:46 (UTC) on Fri 05 Jun 2026

Northwesterly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 at first, becoming west or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first in south.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, increasing 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional 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.