Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at 0600

High Forties 1031 expected German Bight 1025 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Mon 22 Jun 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Mon 22 Jun 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 23 Jun 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly 4 or 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate later.

South Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate later.

Forties

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: Southerly or southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Tyne

Wind: Southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery for a time in south.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: Southeast 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight occasionally moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery for a time in south.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, but northwesterly 4 to 6 at first in northeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth in west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Showers for a time, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Showers for a time, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight later.
Weather: Thundery showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Sole

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming northeasterly 5 later in northwest.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Lundy

Wind: East 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers at first, fog patches later.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor, becoming moderate or good occasionally very poor later.

Fastnet

Wind: East 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers at first, fog patches later.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor, becoming moderate or good occasionally very poor later.

Irish Sea

Wind: East 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 at times.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers at first, fog patches later.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor, becoming moderate or good occasionally very poor later.

Shannon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Rockall

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming south or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: South or southeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwesterly 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southwesterly 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally 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.