Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 0600

High north Spain 1034 expected south FitzRoy 1030 by 0600 tomorrow

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Sat 21 Feb 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Sat 21 Feb 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Sun 22 Feb 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southeast, then veering southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southeast, then veering southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming southeast, then veering southwest later, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers then rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: West 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4, then cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight later in east.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in west.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Dover

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Wight

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: In south, moderate, occasionally slight at first, elsewhere moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Portland

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather: Rain, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

Biscay

Wind: In northwest, southwesterly 4 to 6. In southeast, variable, becoming westerly or southwesterly, 2 to 4.
Sea state: In northwest, moderate or rough. in southeast, moderate.
Weather: In northwest, rain, fog patches. In southeast, fair.
Visibility: In northwest, good, occasionally very poor. In southeast, good.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Sat 21 Feb 2026

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 in northwest, otherwise northeasterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate in southeast.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: In south, variable, becoming westerly or southwesterly, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later. In north, southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state: In south, moderate. in north, rough or very rough,.
Weather: In south, fair. In north, rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: In south, good. In north, moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Sole

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Lundy

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Fastnet

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 at times.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in north.
Weather: Rain, fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Sat 21 Feb 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later in northwest.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Sat 21 Feb 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Sat 21 Feb 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Very rough.
Weather: Squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Sat 21 Feb 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southeasterly veering southwesterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time in north.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Fri 20 Feb 2026

Gale now ceased but southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southeast becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, then southwest 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough.
Weather: Rain or squally showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Sat 21 Feb 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 for a time in west, veering southwesterly 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Sat 21 Feb 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Southeast, 5 to 7, occasionally 4 at first and gale 8 for a time in west, becoming cyclonic 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough in west.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 21:53 (UTC) on Fri 20 Feb 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Easterly or southeasterly, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in west and 4 in east.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Wintry 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.