Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

Low west Trafalgar 1000 expected just west of FitzRoy 982 by 1800 Tuesday. New low expected east FitzRoy 1002 by same time. High east of Iceland 1039 dissipating

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Mon 20 Apr 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Tue 21 Apr 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Wed 22 Apr 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Northeast, backing northwest later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

German Bight

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Humber

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Thames

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Dover

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate at first.

Wight

Wind: East or northeast 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: East or northeast 5 to 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 20 Apr 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East or northeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough later in west.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Easterly 5 to 7, occasionally 4 in south, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 09:57 (UTC) on Mon 20 Apr 2026

Northwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8 in far northwest.
Sea state: Slight or moderate becoming moderate or rough, occasionally very rough in northwest.
Weather: Showers, thundery at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Mon 20 Apr 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Easterly 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in northwest and 5 later elsewhere.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in northwest.
Weather: Occasional rain or thundery showers, fog patches in southeast.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor in southeast and poor elsewhere.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 20 Apr 2026

Easterly severe gale force 9 expected later

Wind: East 5 to 7, increasing 7 to severe gale 9.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high later in west.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: East 4 to 6, increasing 6 or 7.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough in south.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Mon 20 Apr 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: East 4 to 6, increasing 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming very rough later in southwest.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: East 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Gale warning: Issued: 21:56 (UTC) on Mon 20 Apr 2026

Easterly gale force 8 expected soon, increasing severe gale force 9 later

Wind: Easterly 4 to 6 increasing 6 to gale 8, occasionally severe gale 9 later in south.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming rough or very rough, occasionally high later in southwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6, veering east 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Malin

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Bailey

Wind: Easterly or northeasterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 3 later in north.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fair Isle

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in southwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: East or northeast 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough at first in southwest.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southwesterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first in south.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: 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.