Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

Low 100 miles south of Iceland 958 expected north Iceland 975 by midday tomorrow.

Issued at: 17:25 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025 to 18:00 (UTC) on Sat 13 Dec 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

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

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later , occasionally very rough later in northeast.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 or gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: South or southwest, backing west for a time, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

German Bight

Wind: South or southwest, backing west for a time, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Humber

Wind: South or southwest, backing west for a time, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: South or southwest, veering west for a time, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: South or southwest, veering west for a time, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: West or northwest 2 or 3, becoming variable for a time, backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: West or northwest 2 or 3, backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: West or northwest 2 or 3, backing southwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming mainly rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 03:45 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Gale force 8 veering northerly soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Wind: Cyclonic, 3 to 5 at first in southeast, otherwise 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate at first in southeast, otherwise rough or very rough, becoming very rough or high in northwest and later elsewhere.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 10:05 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Northerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: In southeast, northeasterly 4 to 6, but 7 or gale 8 at first in south. In northwest, northwesterly backing southwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: In southeast, very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough. in northwest, very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: In southeast, showers. In northwest, fair.
Visibility: In southeast, good. In northwest, good.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West or southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: West or southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: West or southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West or southwest 4 or 5, increasing 6 or 7 later, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwest 5 or 6, increasing 6 to gale 8, occasional severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: High, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 10:05 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 10:05 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 10:05 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, backing southerly and increasing severe gale force 9 soon

Wind: South or southwest 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, then rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, but moderate or rough at first in east.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 15:53 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southerly gale force 8 veering southwesterly soon and increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwest 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Fri 12 Dec 2025

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Southwesterly becoming cyclonic later, 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 5 or 6 for a time.
Sea state: High or very high, becoming very rough or high, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Squally showers, rain later.
Visibility: 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.