Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

Low northwest FitzRoy 1011 expected Shannon 1013 by 0600 tomorrow

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

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Thu 30 Apr 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Fri 1 May 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly backing southerly or southeasterly later, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southeast, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: East veering southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: East veering southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: East veering southeast 3 to 5, occasionally 2 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: East 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Portland

Wind: East 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Plymouth

Wind: East 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Wed 29 Apr 2026

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, variable 2 to 4. In north, cyclonic, mainly south or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: In south, moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate. in north, moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly south or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: East or southeast 4 to 6, veering mainly south 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Fastnet

Wind: East or southeast 4 to 6, veering mainly south 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches developing.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 in south.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers later.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Cyclonic, often northeasterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Cyclonic, often northeasterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: East or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind: Cyclonic becoming mainly west or southwest later, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate later.
Weather: Fair, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times.
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.