Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at 0600

High 450 miles west of Ireland 1039, expected 350 miles west of Ireland 1037 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Tue 21 Jul 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 21 Jul 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 22 Jul 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southwest, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming moderate.
Weather: Drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate.
Weather: Drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

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

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 for a time in southeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forties

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
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, increasing gale 8 for a time in northeast.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming mainly rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: Northwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Northwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Northwesterly 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6 later in northeast.
Sea state: Slight, becoming 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.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

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

Plymouth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, occasionally northerly 4 or 5 in west.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in far west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, but slight in north and east.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)

Wind: Mainly northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, but variable 3 or less in northeast.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough in far northwest.
Weather: Thundery showers in northwest.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate in northwest.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 4 to 6, but variable 3 in far southeast and occasionally 7 at first near northwestern spain.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, but slight in far southeast and far northeast.
Weather: Showers in south, thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate in south.

Sole

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate in west, slight occasionally moderate in east.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate for a time.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Drizzle.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

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

Malin

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

Hebrides

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough at first in north, otherwise moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Drizzle, fog patches for a time in north.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor, but moderate or good occasionally very poor in north.

Bailey

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough at first in north, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Drizzle, fog patches for a time in north.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor, but moderate or good occasionally very poor in north.

Fair Isle

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later in northwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough at first in northwest, otherwise moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Drizzle, fog patches for a time in north.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor, but moderate or good occasionally very poor in north.

Faeroes

Wind: Westerly 4 to 6, but variable 2 to 4 for a time in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Westerly 4 to 6, but variable 2 to 4 at first in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: 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.