Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midnight

High Sole 1020 expected Tyne 1025 by midnight tonight

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Mon 10 Aug 2026.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Mon 10 Aug 2026 to 06:00 (UTC) on Tue 11 Aug 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 in east.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forties

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Cromarty

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 3 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight in west, otherwise moderate or rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Forth

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Tyne

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dogger

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 but later in east.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough for a time in far northeast.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good.

Fisher

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in northeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

German Bight

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth at first in far south, otherwise slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Humber

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, veering east or northeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers at first.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate at first.

Thames

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, veering east or northeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, veering easterly or northeasterly 2 to 4 later, occasionally 5 later in south.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: Northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4, then east or northeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: Northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

Wind: Northwest becoming variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 3 or less in south, otherwise northerly or northeasterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later in north.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers at first in southeast.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first in southeast.

Trafalgar (issued 23:15 UTC+1)

Wind: Northerly or northwesterly 2 to 4, occasionally 5 in southeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5 later in far west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southerly or southeasterly 4 or 5 later in west.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Lundy

Wind: Variable becoming east or southeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Fastnet

Wind: Variable becoming east or southeast, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, but moderate at first in southwest.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Irish Sea

Wind: North or northwest veering east or northeast, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in far west.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in far east.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Rockall

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5, occasionally 6 later in west.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Malin

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeasterly 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in far east.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Hebrides

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Bailey

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4, then south 3 to 5 later, occasionally 6 later in far southwest.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Fair Isle

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Faeroes

Wind: Northwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming moderate later.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Variable becoming southerly or southwesterly later, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

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.