Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

New low expected Bailey 1003 by 1800 Wednesday. New high expected Forties 1016 by same time

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Tue 5 May 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 6 May 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Thu 7 May 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northwesterly becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in east.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming south or southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in east, smooth or slight in west.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Wind: Variable 3 or less, becoming south or southeast 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate at first in east, otherwise smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: Northeasterly 4 or 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: Northeasterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in southeast, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

German Bight

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Westerly at first in south, otherwise northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 just south of portugal, decreasing 3 at times elsewhere.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Northerly 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or less in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind: Northerly 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: Northerly 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: Northerly 3 to 5 becoming variable 3 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in northeast, slight or moderate in southwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: Cyclonic 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in north.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: North or northwest, backing southwest later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate in west, slight or moderate in east.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, moderate throughout in northwest.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 15:52 (UTC) on Tue 5 May 2026

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: In southeast, variable 2 to 4 becoming cyclonic 3 to 5, then southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6 later. In northwest, variable 3 or less becoming northeasterly 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: In southeast, moderate. in northwest, moderate becoming rough, then occasionally very rough later.
Weather: In southeast, rain or showers. In northwest, rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough at first in far north, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Wintry showers, then rain later in west.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northeasterly 4 to 6 later, increasing 7 later in west.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Wintry showers, then rain in south.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 5 May 2026

Northeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5 increasing 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in southwest.
Sea state: Slight at first in far west, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Sleet or snow showers.
Visibility: 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.