Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

New high expected Lundy 1032 by 0600 tomorrow. Low Biscay 1023 losing its identity

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Sat 23 May 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Sat 23 May 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Sun 24 May 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly for a time, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

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

Dogger

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

Fisher

Wind: West of southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers at first, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers at first, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northerly or northeasterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Thundery showers in south, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 in far northwest, otherwise cyclonic becoming northerly or northeasterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers in south, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly northerly 4 or 5, but mainly easterly 6 or 7 at times in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in far southeast.
Weather: Showers in northeast.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Sole

Wind: Southerly 4 or 5 in far west, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Lundy

Wind: Westerly 3 to 5 at first in east, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fastnet

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

Irish Sea

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Shannon

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Rockall

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Hebrides

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: Cyclonic becoming southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Fair Isle

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, moderate or rough elsewhere.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough.
Weather: Rain then showers, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

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.