Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

Low west Rockall 999 losing its identity

Issued at: 16:25 (UTC) on Wed 19 Aug 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Wed 19 Aug 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Thu 20 Aug 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: North or northwest, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight at first in southeast and rough in northwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forties

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then mainly north, 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then mainly north, 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then mainly north, 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then mainly north, 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then mainly north, 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: Cyclonic mainly west or northwest for a time, 3 to 5, decreasing 2 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly west or southwest veering northwest later, 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth in east, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly west or southwest veering northwest later, 3 to 5, occasionally 2 at first.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth in east, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: West or southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: West or southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: West or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: West or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: Northwesterly, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in north and 2 in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, but cyclonic 2 or 3 at first in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Sole

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Lundy

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fastnet

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southwest becoming cyclonic, then northwest later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in north.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming north or northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough until later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming north or northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough until later, and moderate at times later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, becoming mainly north 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, becoming mainly north 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6, backing north or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Northeast backing north or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Wind: Northeast backing north or northwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northeasterly backing northerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 in north.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

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.