Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

High mid-Atlantic 1028 slow moving, intensifying 1032 by 1800 Thursday. High Fair Isle 1029 dissipating by same time

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Wed 15 Jul 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 16 Jul 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 17 Jul 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northerly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in east.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 5 at times later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: North or northeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming north 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forth

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming north 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Tyne

Wind: Northeast backing north 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: Northeast backing north 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: North or northeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: North or northeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: North or northeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Northeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Northeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Northeast 4 or 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: East or northeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Variable becoming northwest, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Wind: Variable, becoming westerly or northwesterly, 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6 later in southeast.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in far southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first in far northwest.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: East or northeast, backing north later, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: East or northeast, backing north later, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: East or northeast, backing north later, 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: East backing north or northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Northeast backing north later, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: Northeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Malin

Wind: Northeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

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

Bailey

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

Fair Isle

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming north 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in northwest.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwesterly veering northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 at first in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle and fog patches at first in southeast.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first in southeast.

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.