Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

High northwest Humber 1028 dissipating

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Tue 21 Jul 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jul 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 23 Jul 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Drizzle at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Drizzle at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 21 Jul 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in east.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forties

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, smooth or slight in west.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5 for a time at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, smooth or slight in west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5 for a time at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first in west, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 21 Jul 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first in south, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in east, becoming variable 2 at times in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough for a time in far northeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 at times in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 5 for a time in northwest.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 5 at times in south.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 5 at times in west.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: North or northeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later in northeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Wind: Mainly northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, but variable 3 or less in far northeast.
Sea state: Rough at first in far northwest, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers in northwest.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate in northwest.

FitzRoy

Wind: Mainly northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, but cyclonic 2 to 4 in far southeast.
Sea state: Mainly moderate or rough, but slight or moderate in far southeast.
Weather: Thundery showers in west.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in east, slight or moderate in west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in north, slight or moderate in south.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

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

Shannon

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly, backing westerly in north, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle at times.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, backing southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough later in northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first in east.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Variable 3 at first in north, otherwise westerly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Mainly moderate or rough, but slight at first in far north.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very 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.