Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

New low expected Rockall and 1003 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Thu 12 Jun 2025.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Thu 12 Jun 2025 to 06:00 (UTC) on Fri 13 Jun 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 at first in the utsires, otherwise southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

North Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 at first in the utsires, otherwise southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

South Utsire

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 at first in the utsires, otherwise southerly or southeasterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forties

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Forth

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming east or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: Southeast 4 to 6, veering southwest 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers for a time.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: East 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Showers becoming mainly fair later.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: East 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery, becoming mainly fair later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: East 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery, becoming mainly fair later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: Cyclonic becoming south or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Cyclonic becoming south or southwest, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Biscay

Wind: In north, southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, increasing 6 or 7 for a time later in northwest. In south, variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: In north, slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough. in south, slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in northwest.
Weather: In north, thundery showers. In south, thundery showers.
Visibility: In north, good, occasionally poor. In south, good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Wed 11 Jun 2025

Wind: In southeast, westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in east. In northwest, westerly or southwesterly becoming cyclonic for a time, 4 to 6.
Sea state: In southeast, slight or moderate. in northwest, moderate or rough.
Weather: In southeast, fair. In northwest, showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: In southeast, good. In northwest, good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: South or southeast becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough later, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fastnet

Wind: South or southeast becoming cyclonic later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southwest and later elsewhere, otherwise slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair then thundery rain, fog patches later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor later.

Shannon

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor.

Rockall

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain at times, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor.

Malin

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 late.
Sea state: Moderate or rough , becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Hebrides

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough , becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough , becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Faeroes

Wind: South or southeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southerly 4 or 5 at first in east, otherwise variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Rough becoming moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches, becoming mainly fair in northwest.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.