Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at 0600

High 200 miles west of FitzRoy 1024 expected just west of FitzRoy 1023 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Tue 07 Jul 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 07 Jul 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 08 Jul 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth in west.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable, mainly west, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable, mainly west, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first, becoming variable, mainly west, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 15:52 (UTC) on Mon 06 Jul 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in east.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

German Bight

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Humber

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in east, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

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

Plymouth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth in northeast.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth in northeast.
Weather: Fog patches, but showers in south, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Lundy

Wind: West 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fastnet

Wind: West 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight occasionally moderate, but smooth or slight in northeast.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight, but moderate at first in southeast.
Weather: Drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Rockall

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, backing south 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: Cyclonic becoming southwest 3 to 5, backing south 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming west or southwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, but slight or moderate in southeast.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in northwest, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest.
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.