Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Low Thames 1014 losing its identity

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Fri 21 Nov 2025.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 21 Nov 2025 to 06:00 (UTC) on Sat 22 Nov 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northwesterly 2 to 4 backing southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 2 to 4 backing southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forties

Wind: Northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: Northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: Northwesterly 3 or 4, backing southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5, backing southwest 5 or 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 4 or 5, backing southwest 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 4 or less, then southwest 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: North 5 to 7, becoming variable 3 or less, then southwest 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: North 5 to 7, becoming variable 3 or less, then southwest 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: North 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: North 4 or 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: North 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Fri 21 Nov 2025

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In southeast, northerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4. In northwest, northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly 5 to 7.
Sea state: In southeast, moderate, occasionally rough at first. in northwest, moderate or rough.
Weather: In southeast, showers. In northwest, rain.
Visibility: In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: North 2 to 4, backing southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: North 2 to 4, backing southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: North 2 to 4, backing southwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, veering northwest 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in southeast, elsewhere moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Fri 21 Nov 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, veering west 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Fri 21 Nov 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering west 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, veering westerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, veering westerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: 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.