Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at 0600

High Viking 1032 expected Forties 1033 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Tue 28 Apr 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 28 Apr 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 29 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate later in far northwest.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 2 to 4, increasing 4 or 5 for a time.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

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

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4..
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 3 or 4, occasionally 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6, decreasing 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Northeast 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Northeast 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Wight

Wind: Northeast 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 28 Apr 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 28 Apr 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly, cyclonic in south, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Mon 27 Apr 2026

Wind: Northerly at first in west, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly, cyclonic in south, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough later.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Lundy

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: In northwest, southerly 3 to 5. In southeast, easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4.
Sea state: In northwest, moderate or rough. in southeast, moderate becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: In northwest, drizzle. In southeast, fair.
Visibility: In northwest, moderate or good. In southeast, moderate or good.

Malin

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly 3 or 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight at first, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Hebrides

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

Bailey

Wind: South 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough later in west.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in west.
Weather: Drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:56 (UTC) on Tue 28 Apr 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.