Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

Low Iberia 1009 losing its identity by 1800 Monday. New low expected France 1009 by same time

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Sun 3 May 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 4 May 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 5 May 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Rain, wintry showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Rain, wintry showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Northwest backing southwest, 3 to 5, becoming variable 4 or less later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Northwest backing southwest, 3 to 5, becoming variable 4 or less later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Variable, mainly southwest later, 4 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: Variable, mainly southwest later, 4 or less.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: Variable, mainly southwest later, 4 or less.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: Northwest 5 to 7 backing west 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first and slight later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 4 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain and fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Humber

Wind: Variable, becoming northeast for a time, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Rain with fog banks, fair later.
Visibility: Moderate to very poor, becoming good later.

Thames

Wind: Variable becoming northeast, 2 to 4, increasing 4 or 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery, fog banks, fair later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind: Variable becoming northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog banks, fair later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Wight

Wind: Variable becoming northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog banks.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Portland

Wind: Variable, mainly northwest later, 4 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Variable, mainly northwest later, 4 or less.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: Variable, mainly northwest later, 4 or less.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in southeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic in east, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough in west.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Cyclonic in east, otherwise northerly or northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough in west.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 2 in east.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth at first in northeast.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5 backing north or northwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: North or northwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Rockall

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, veering north 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in southeast, elsewhere moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, veering north 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Wind: West or northwest 3 to 5, veering north 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later in southwest.
Weather: Rain, wintry showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first and very rough later.
Weather: Rain, wintry showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, becoming northwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first and very rough later.
Weather: Rain, wintry showers later.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.