Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

New low expected just west of Southeast Iceland 1013 by 1800 Saturday

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Fri 14 Aug 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Sat 15 Aug 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Sun 16 Aug 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forties

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state: Elsewhere smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state: Elsewhere smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in southwest.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: North backing northwest at times, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: North backing northwest at times, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in north, but variable 2 to 4 at times in south.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Wind: Mainly north 4 to 6, occasionally in northeast, becoming cyclonic 2 to 4 in far southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but slight in far southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northerly 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 in far southeast, decreasing 2 or 3 in far northwest.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in north, moderate or rough in south.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5. Occasionally variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5. Occasionally variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth until later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5. Occasionally variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth until later in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Northwesterly backing southwesterly later in west, 3 to 5, occasionally 2 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight at first and later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly backing southwesterly 3 to 5, becoming cyclonic mainly southerly, 4 or 5 later in west.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Malin

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Mainly moderate, slight in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Hebrides

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Mainly moderate, slight in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Bailey

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Mainly moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: West or southwest, veering west or northwest, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, but northerly 5 or 6 at first in northeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional 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.