Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

High Sole 1020 expected Irish Sea 1023 by 1800 Monday

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Sun 09 Aug 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 10 Aug 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 11 Aug 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 later in east.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forties

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight at first in southeast, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in west, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Tyne

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Dogger

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in far northeast.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Fisher

Wind: Westerly 3 to 5, veering northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later in northeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

German Bight

Wind: West 3 to 5, veering northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth at first in south, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Humber

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, veering east or northeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate at first.

Thames

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, veering east or northeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, veering easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4 later, occasionally 5 later in south.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4, then northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: Northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 3 or less in south, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 2 to 4 occasionally 5 later in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers at first in southeast.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first in southeast.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in southeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

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

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 5 later in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: Northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, but moderate until later in southwest.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: North or northwest veering east or northeast, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in far east.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in west.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in far east.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Bailey

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later, but occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Faeroes

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later, but occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable then southerly or southwesterly later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

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.