Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

Atlantic high 1031 slow moving and intensifying 1033 by 1800 Friday. New low 1015 expected southern England by same time.

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Thu 16 Jul 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Fri 17 Jul 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Sat 18 Jul 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first and 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind: Variable 3 or less until later in east, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 5 or 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forties

Wind: North backing northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: North backing northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: North backing northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: North backing northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: North backing northwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5, becoming northwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Northeasterly backing northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later in north.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Northeasterly backing northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally variable 3 or less later in south.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Cyclonic mainly easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: Cyclonic mainly easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fair in north but showers elsewhere, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: Cyclonic mainly easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: Cyclonic mainly easterly or northeasterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: Northwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Mainly slight.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in north and 6 later in southeast.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate later in south.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic mainly north 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in south.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic mainly north 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Variable becoming mainly northerly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable becoming mainly northerly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable becoming mainly northerly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Shannon

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, increasing 6 at times.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: Northeasterly backing northerly or northwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Faeroes

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5, increasing 6 for a time at first in west, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in west and slight at times in north.
Weather: Mainly fair.
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.