Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Atlantic low expected Hebrides 966 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Severe gale force 9 backing southeasterly and increasing storm force 10 imminent, increasing violent storm force 11 later

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10, perhaps violent storm 11 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Wintry showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 imminent, increasing storm force 10 soon, increasing violent storm force 11 later

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10, perhaps violent storm 11 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Wintry showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 imminent, increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10.
Sea state: Moderate or rough at first, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Wintry showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southerly severe gale force 9 increasing storm force 10 imminent

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 6 to gale 8, increasing gale 8 to storm 10.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Wintry showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 15:59 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southeast 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high in northeast.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:59 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southeast 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 15:59 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southeast 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 15:59 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southeast 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 imminent, backing southeasterly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Wintry showers then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 imminent, backing southeasterly soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Wintry showers then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Wintry showers then rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Gale warning: Issued: 15:59 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Gale warning: Issued: 21:45 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Gale warning: Issued: 15:59 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain for a time.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Gale warning: Issued: 15:59 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:59 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South or southwest 6 to gale 8, decreasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 15:59 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South 5 to 7, veering southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Wind: Variable 3 or less in southeast, otherwise southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northwest.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in far southeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 continuing

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:45 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 21:45 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in west.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 15:59 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Gale force 8 veering southwesterly and increasing severe gale force 9 imminent, increasing storm force 10 soon

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 for a time.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 15:59 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon, veering southwesterly and increasing violent storm force 11 later

Wind: In south, southerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, becoming cyclonic severe gale 9 to violent storm 11 for a time. In north, cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: In south, rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high. in north, rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: In south, rain. In north, rain.
Visibility: In south, moderate or poor. In north, moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southerly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8, veering southwesterly and increasing violent storm force 11 soon

Wind: South or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 later, occasionally violent storm 11 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southerly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8, veering southwesterly and increasing violent storm force 11 later

Wind: South or southeast 7 to severe gale 9, becoming cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10 later, violent storm 11 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Severe gale force 9 backing northerly soon

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 in west.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 15:59 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Southerly gale force 8 increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 in east.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high in north and east.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 09:53 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6 for a time.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high in far east and far west.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:45 (UTC) on Sat 10 Jan 2026

Northeasterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 soon, then storm force 10 later

Wind: Northeasterly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Rain or sleet.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.