Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at midnight

Low Hebrides 959 expected Norwegian Basin 976 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 05:05 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025 to 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 11 Dec 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 now decreased gale force 8, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 9 Dec 2025

Southeasterly gale force 8 continuing, veering southwesterly soon

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 9 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 9 Dec 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 9 Dec 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in northeast and slight later in southwest.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 9 Dec 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later in southwest.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased, but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased, but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Gale now ceased, but southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

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

Portland

Wind: West or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: West or southwest backing south, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 4 or less, then southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, then southwesterly later in far northwest.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in southeast.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 9 Dec 2025

Southerly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: In southeast, northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then southwesterly 4 to 6 later. In northwest, westerly 4 to 6, backing southerly 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: In southeast, rough or very rough. in northwest, very rough or high.
Weather: In southeast, showers at first. In northwest, rain.
Visibility: In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: Westerly 4 to 6, backing southerly 7 to severe gale 9, occasionally storm 10 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, backing south 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate in east.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, backing south 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming high later in west.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 15:47 (UTC) on Tue 9 Dec 2025

Storm force 10 veering southwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, backing south 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Gale force 8 backing southerly and increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: West 6 to gale 8, backing south gale 8 to storm 10.
Sea state: High, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Severe gale force 9 backing southerly and increasing storm force 10 later

Wind: West 7 to severe gale 9, backing south gale 8 to storm 10.
Sea state: High, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon, backing southerly and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwest backing south, 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high, but moderate or rough in southeast.
Weather: Squally showers then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 9 Dec 2025

Southwesterly violent storm force 11 continuing

Wind: Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11, becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Southwesterly storm force 10 continuing

Wind: Cyclonic gale 8 to storm 10, becoming south or southwest 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Southwesterly violent storm force 11 continuing

Wind: Southwesterly gale 8 to storm 10, occasionally violent storm 11, decreasing 6 or 7.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first and rough later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 21:55 (UTC) on Tue 9 Dec 2025

Storm force 10 veering southwesterly soon

Wind: In east, southwesterly gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 6 or 7. In west, northeasterly gale 8 to storm 10, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: In east, very rough or high, occasionally very high at first and rough later. in west, very rough or high.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 03:49 (UTC) on Wed 10 Dec 2025

Northeasterly storm force 10 continuing, decreasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: Northeasterly gale 8 to storm 10, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: 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.