Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

High FitzRoy 1027 expected Lundy 1032 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Sun 20 Sep 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 20 Sep 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 21 Sep 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 03:51 (UTC) on Sun 20 Sep 2026

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent

Wind: Westerly veering northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:51 (UTC) on Sun 20 Sep 2026

Gale force 8 veering westerly imminent

Wind: Westerly veering northwesterly, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:51 (UTC) on Sun 20 Sep 2026

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly soon

Wind: Westerly veering northwesterly, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 03:51 (UTC) on Sun 20 Sep 2026

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly soon

Wind: Westerly veering northwesterly 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Sat 19 Sep 2026

Gale force 8 veering westerly soon

Wind: West 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, veering northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Rough until later in east, otherwise slight or moderate, but becoming smooth or slight later in west.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Wind: West 6 or 7 veering northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: West 6 or 7 veering northwest 4 to 6, backing southwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Sat 19 Sep 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: West veering northwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southwest, rough or very rough in northeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Sat 19 Sep 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: West veering northwest, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 15:51 (UTC) on Sat 19 Sep 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West veering northwest, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate at first in southeast, otherwise rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Humber

Wind: West 5 or 6 veering northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough until later in northeast, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Thames

Wind: West 5 or 6 veering northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Dover

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Wight

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Portland

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight in north.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

Plymouth

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain at first, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first and very poor later.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 in north, easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5 in south.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 in north, easterly or northeasterly mainly 3 to 5 in south, but occasionally 6 in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)

Wind: Easterly 5 to 7 in far southeast, but elsewhere northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Mainly moderate, but moderate or rough in far southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Lundy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Rough until later in southwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Irish Sea

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6 backing southwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Rain later in northwest.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later in northwest.

Shannon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers then rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Rockall

Wind: Westerly 5 to 7 at first in northeast, otherwise variable 2 to 4 becoming southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers then rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Malin

Wind: Westerly 5 to 7 backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers then rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Hebrides

Wind: Westerly 5 to 7 backing southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Squally showers then rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Bailey

Wind: Westerly 5 to 7 backing southerly 4 to 6, then occasionally 7 again later.
Sea state: Very rough, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers then rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:51 (UTC) on Sun 20 Sep 2026

Gale force 8 veering northwesterly imminent

Wind: Northwest 6 to gale 8, backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then southeasterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then southeasterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers, then rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

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.