Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

High German Bight 1033 expected netherlands 1031 by 1800 Monday. New high expected Rockall 1030 by same time

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Sun 24 May 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 25 May 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 26 May 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Variable mainly southwesterly, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

German Bight

Wind: Southwest 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Humber

Wind: South 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Thames

Wind: Southeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: East or northeast 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: East or northeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: East or northeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: East or northeast 2 to 4, occasionally 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: East becoming cyclonic, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers in south.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 09:55 (UTC) on Sun 24 May 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Easterly 6 to gale 8 in far southeast and variable 3 in far northeast, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in far southeast.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers in southeast, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Sole

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Lundy

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

Fastnet

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

Irish Sea

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth occasionally slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Drizzle and fog patches in northwest.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor in northwest.

Rockall

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later, then northwesterly 3 to 5 later in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain, fog patches, fair later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: West or southwest 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 3 in southeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southeast, moderate or rough in northwest.
Weather: Rain and fog patches, fair later.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, veering westerly 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
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.