Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

New low expected Norway 986 by midday tomorrow

Issued at: 16:25 (UTC) on Wed 13 May 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Wed 13 May 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Thu 14 May 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Wed 13 May 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northerly 4 or 5, then increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Wed 13 May 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northerly 4 or 5, then increasing 6 or 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly 3 to 5, backing northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forties

Wind: Northerly 3 to 5, backing northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: North 3 or 4, increasing 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: North 3 to 5, backing northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: North 3 to 5, backing northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: North 3 to 5, backing northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: North 3 to 5, backing northwest 4 to 6 later, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Thundery showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: North 3 to 5, backing northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Cyclonic becoming north or northwest, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Cyclonic becoming north or northwest, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 until later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: West 5 or 6, veering northwest 4 or 5, then north 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: West 5 or 6, veering northwest 4 or 5, then north 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

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

Trafalgar

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate at first in south, otherwise rough, occasionally very rough at first in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Sole

Wind: Northwest 5 or 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Lundy

Wind: North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in southwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 later in east.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Very rough becoming rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Wind: North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first, decreasing 4 at times later.
Sea state: Very rough becoming rough, becoming moderate later in north.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Hebrides

Wind: North or northwest 5 or 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Bailey

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first in east.
Sea state: Very rough at first in far southeast, elsewhere rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: North 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Faeroes

Wind: North 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northerly 4 or 5 in east, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but rough at first in south.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

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.