Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 1800

Low FitzRoy 1010 moving rather quickly northeast, losing its identity by 1800 Sunday. Low 150 miles west of Bailey 985 expected Southeast Iceland with little change by same time

Issued at: 23:15 (UTC) on Sat 26 Sep 2026.

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Sun 27 Sep 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 28 Sep 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Sat 26 Sep 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, backing southeasterly 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

North Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Sat 26 Sep 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, backing southeasterly 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

South Utsire

Gale warning: Issued: 21:48 (UTC) on Sat 26 Sep 2026

Southeasterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, backing southeasterly 6 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Forties

Wind: South 4 to 6, backing southeast, veering west, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: South 4 to 6, backing southeast, veering west, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough in northeast.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: South 4 to 6, backing southeast, veering west, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: South 4 to 6, backing southeast, veering west, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: South 4 to 6, backing southeast, veering west, 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: Southwest 3 to 5, backing southeast 5 to 7, veering south 4 to 6 later.
Sea state: Moderate occasionally slight.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate later.

German Bight

Wind: Southeast 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6, veering west or southwest later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Humber

Wind: Southeast 3 or 4, increasing 4 to 6, veering west or southwest later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Thames

Wind: East or southeast 3 or 4, veering southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6, veering west later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Dover

Wind: East or southeast 3 or 4, veering southwest 3 to 5, veering west later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Wight

Wind: East or southeast 3 or 4, veering southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6, veering west later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor later.

Portland

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5, veering southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 4 or less later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5, veering southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7, becoming variable 4 or less later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight at first.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Wind: Southeast 3 to 5, veering southwest 4 to 6, becoming variable 4 or less later.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in northwest.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Variable 4 or less, but cyclonic 4 to 6 at first in east.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming slight in far southeast.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Good, occasionally very poor.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, becoming variable 4 or less.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 15:55 (UTC) on Sat 26 Sep 2026

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: Cyclonic 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first, becoming variable 4 or less.
Sea state: Mainly rough.
Weather: Thundery rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Gale warning: Issued: 15:55 (UTC) on Sat 26 Sep 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, then west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Thundery rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Gale warning: Issued: 15:55 (UTC) on Sat 26 Sep 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, then west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Thundery rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Gale warning: Issued: 15:55 (UTC) on Sat 26 Sep 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South 4 to 6, becoming cyclonic 6 to gale 8, then west 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough.
Weather: Thundery rain.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7 veering west 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough at first in northwest.
Weather: Thundery rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Rockall

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Sat 26 Sep 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: South veering southwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Sat 26 Sep 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South veering southwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, but slight or moderate in southeast.
Weather: Thundery rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Sat 26 Sep 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: South veering southwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: South veering southwest, 5 to 7.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fair Isle

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Sat 26 Sep 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: South veering southwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally moderate in east.
Weather: Thundery rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 03:48 (UTC) on Sat 26 Sep 2026

Southerly gale force 8 expected soon

Wind: South veering southwest, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Thundery rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally very rough in southeast and moderate in northwest.
Weather: Squally 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.