Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

High Norway 1039 expected Forties 1042 by 1800 Thursday

Issued at: 23:30 (UTC) on Tue 23 Dec 2025.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 24 Dec 2025 to 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 25 Dec 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6, veering southwesterly 2 to 4, becoming variable 3 later in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough at first, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 5 or 6, veering southwesterly 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5, becoming variable 3 or less, becoming northerly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly, backing easterly later, 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later in north.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: East or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: East or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough at first.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: Southeasterly 3 or 4, becoming variable 3 or less in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: East or northeast 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: East or northeast 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 21:54 (UTC) on Tue 23 Dec 2025

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East or northeast 5 or 6, increasing 7 or gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 15:57 (UTC) on Tue 23 Dec 2025

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East or northeast 5 or 6, increasing 7 or gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 15:57 (UTC) on Tue 23 Dec 2025

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East or northeast 5 or 6, increasing 7 or gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:57 (UTC) on Tue 23 Dec 2025

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East or northeast 5 or 6, increasing 7 or gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:57 (UTC) on Tue 23 Dec 2025

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East or northeast 5 or 6, increasing 7 or gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 15:57 (UTC) on Tue 23 Dec 2025

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in far northwest.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northwesterly 4 or 5, veering northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 or 4 later in southeast.
Sea state: Mainly rough, but slight or moderate in far southeast.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 15:57 (UTC) on Tue 23 Dec 2025

Northerly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northeasterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in west and later in east.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but rough or very rough at first in west and later in northeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 21:54 (UTC) on Tue 23 Dec 2025

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:54 (UTC) on Tue 23 Dec 2025

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Northeast veering southeast, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Malin

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming easterly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

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

Bailey

Wind: In southeast, variable 2 to 4. In northwest, southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: In southeast, rough. in northwest, rough becoming very rough.
Weather: In southeast, mainly fair. In northwest, showers.
Visibility: In southeast, moderate or good. In northwest, moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, but variable 3 or 4 at first in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, but variable 3 or 4 at first in east.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:54 (UTC) on Tue 23 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough becoming very rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.