Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

Printable version

The general synopsis at 0600

Low Fair Isle 962 expected northeast of Iceland 970 by 0600 Tuesday. Atlantic low expected FitzRoy 999 by same time

Issued at: 11:30 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 13 Jan 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Loading map…

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Southeasterly violent storm force 11 decreasing storm force 10 soon

Wind: Southeasterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, becoming cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, occasionally very high at first, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Southeasterly violent storm force 11 decreasing storm force 10 imminent

Wind: Southeasterly gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Snow.
Visibility: Poor.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Southeasterly violent storm force 11 decreasing storm force 10 imminent

Wind: Southeasterly gale 8 to storm 10, decreasing 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Snow.
Visibility: Poor.

Forties

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Storm force 10 veering southerly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: South 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Gale warning: Issued: 21:58 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southerly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: South 6 to gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Gale warning: Issued: 21:58 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8, veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: Southeast 5 to 7, veering southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 15:54 (UTC) on Sun 11 Jan 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Wind: South or southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first.
Sea state: Rough or very rough becoming, moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 continuing

Forecast issued: 00:15 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 in northwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough in southeast, rough or very rough in northwest.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Southwesterly becoming cyclonic later, 6 to gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Wind: Southwest, veering north later, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, veering northwest 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight later.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest veering northwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Severe gale force 9 veering northwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming west, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Southwesterly severe gale force 9 decreasing gale force 8 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 6 to gale 8, becoming west, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Southwesterly violent storm force 11 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Gale warning: Issued: 03:55 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Severe gale force 9 backing northwesterly and decreasing gale force 8 soon

Wind: Northwest 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Southerly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: South gale 8 to storm 10, veering west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming moderate or rough later.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate or poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Southeasterly severe gale force 9 backing northwesterly gale force 8 soon

Wind: Cyclonic 7 to severe gale 9, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high at first.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Moderate, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Gale warning: Issued: 09:50 (UTC) on Mon 12 Jan 2026

Northerly storm force 10 decreasing severe gale force 9 imminent

Wind: Northerly gale 8 to storm 10, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Very rough or high, becoming rough or very rough later.
Weather: Rain or sleet.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.