Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

New low expected 100 miles south of Iceland 1009 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Tue 5 May 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Tue 5 May 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 6 May 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, but moderate or rough for a time.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 or 5, but variable 3 or 4 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers, perhaps wintry.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming north or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming north or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming north or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northwest later , 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dogger

Wind: Cyclonic, becoming northwest later , 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fisher

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, then becoming northeast later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Humber

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6, but variable 2 to 4 at first.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 3 or 4 for a time.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: North or northeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor in south.

Plymouth

Wind: North or northeast 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor in south.

Biscay

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, veering northerly later in north, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Mon 4 May 2026

Wind: North 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, but slight or moderate until later in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

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

Fastnet

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, but slight or moderate in west.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

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

Shannon

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Mainly moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, occasional rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Malin

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, occasional rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Hebrides

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
Weather: Showers, occasional rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Bailey

Wind: North or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then becoming cyclonic 5 or 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in north.
Weather: Showers, occasional rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor later.

Fair Isle

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 3 or 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly becoming cyclonic, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or wintry 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.