Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low Scotland 1002 expected west Viking 1001 by 1800 Wednesday

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Tue 04 Aug 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 05 Aug 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 06 Aug 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, increasing 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forth

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, veering west or southwest 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, veering west or southwest 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, veering west or southwest 5 to 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5 veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

German Bight

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5 veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Humber

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: Southwest veering west or northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: Southwest veering west or northwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

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

Biscay

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 in south.
Sea state: Moderate in north, slight or moderate in south.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 in west, but in east, northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

FitzRoy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 in west, but in east, northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6 decreasing 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

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

Fastnet

Wind: West or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, veering northwesterly later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Rain at first in east, otherwise showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first in east.

Rockall

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Rain at first in east, otherwise showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first in east.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 04 Aug 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first in east, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Tue 04 Aug 2026

Gale force 8 backing northerly soon

Wind: Cyclonic becoming northwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 until later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor until later.

Bailey

Wind: North 4 to 6 backing west or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough at first in southeast, otherwise moderate.
Weather: Rain at first in southeast.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Tue 04 Aug 2026

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Northeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west, backing northerly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches in southeast.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in southeast and poor elsewhere.

Faeroes

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6, backing northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough until later in far south, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain until later in southeast.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor in southeast.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Variable 3 or less becoming westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

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.