Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

Developing Atlantic low moving rather quickly northeast, expected Hebrides 1001 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Wed 01 Jul 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 01 Jul 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 02 Jul 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight becoming moderate later.
Weather: Rain or drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor later.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight becoming moderate later.
Weather: Rain or drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor later.

South Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Slight becoming moderate later.
Weather: Rain or drizzle later.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor later.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 03:41 (UTC) on Wed 01 Jul 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain or drizzle for a time.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 03:41 (UTC) on Wed 01 Jul 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain or drizzle for a time.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 03:41 (UTC) on Wed 01 Jul 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain or drizzle for a time.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.

Tyne

Gale warning: Issued: 03:41 (UTC) on Wed 01 Jul 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain or drizzle for a time.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.

Dogger

Gale warning: Issued: 03:41 (UTC) on Wed 01 Jul 2026

Westerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain or drizzle for a time.
Visibility: Good, becoming moderate or poor for a time.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Humber

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming south or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Thames

Wind: West or northwest 3 or 4, backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or drizzle for a time later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Dover

Wind: West or northwest 3 or 4, backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or drizzle for a time later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Wight

Wind: West or northwest 3 or 4, backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or drizzle for a time later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Portland

Wind: West or northwest 3 or 4, backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or drizzle for a time later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Plymouth

Wind: West or northwest 3 or 4, backing west or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or drizzle for a time later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Biscay

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in north.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in northwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 15:52 (UTC) on Tue 30 Jun 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 5 or 6, but 6 to gale 8 except in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough except in south.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 30 Jun 2026

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northeasterly 6 to gale 8, but variable 3 or 4 in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later in south.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches later in north.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor later.

Sole

Wind: Northwest backing west or southwest, 3 or 4 increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate later in east.
Weather: Rain and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Lundy

Wind: Northwest backing west or southwest, 3 or 4 increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate later.
Weather: Rain and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Northwest backing west or southwest, 3 or 4 increasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain and fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 21:42 (UTC) on Tue 30 Jun 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Northwest, backing southwest for a time, 4 to 5, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Fair, then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, veering west or northwest 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Tue 30 Jun 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 15:52 (UTC) on Tue 30 Jun 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 3 at first, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 15:52 (UTC) on Tue 30 Jun 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Variable 3 at first, otherwise cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:41 (UTC) on Wed 01 Jul 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 for a time.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 to 6, then becoming cyclonic later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Fair, then rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 4 to 6, then becoming cyclonic later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Fair, then rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: 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.