Coast and sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at midnight

New lows expected Bailey 987, Fastnet 991 and Shannon 991 by midnight tonight. Lows Fair Isle 983 and Sole 998 both losing their identities

Issued at: 04:05 (UTC) on Tue 2 Sep 2025.

For the period 06:00 (UTC) on Tue 2 Sep 2025 to 06:00 (UTC) on Wed 3 Sep 2025.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

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Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

North Utsire

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

South Utsire

Wind: Southerly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming mainly moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forties

Wind: Southwest, backing south or southeast, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Southwest, backing south or southeast, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Forth

Wind: Southwest, backing south or southeast, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Tyne

Wind: Southwest, backing south or southeast, 4 or 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Dogger

Wind: Southwest, backing south or southeast, 4 or 5, occasionally 6 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Fisher

Wind: South 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

German Bight

Wind: South 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: South 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Dover

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Wight

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Portland

Wind: South or southwest 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later, perhaps gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Plymouth

Gale warning: Issued: 03:40 (UTC) on Tue 2 Sep 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Southwest 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough.
Weather: Thundery rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Biscay

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Mon 1 Sep 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Trafalgar

Forecast issued: 23:15 (UTC) on Mon 1 Sep 2025

Wind: Northwesterly 4 to 6 in south, otherwise westerly 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Mainly good.

FitzRoy

Gale warning: Issued: 09:51 (UTC) on Mon 1 Sep 2025

Southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly 5 to 7, increasing gale 8 at times, perhaps severe gale 9 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough, occasionally high later.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Sole

Gale warning: Issued: 03:40 (UTC) on Tue 2 Sep 2025

Gale now ceased, but southwesterly gale force 8 expected later

Wind: West, becoming cyclonic for a time, 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 later.
Sea state: Rough or very rough.
Weather: Rain or showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: Cyclonic becoming southwest 3 to 5, then cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally slight in east.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Fastnet

Wind: Cyclonic becoming southwest 3 to 5, then cyclonic 5 to 7 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or thundery showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Irish Sea

Wind: Southwest backing east later, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in south.
Weather: Showers, rain later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Shannon

Wind: West 3 or 4, becoming cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7 later.
Sea state: Rough, occasionally moderate in north.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Hebrides

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Bailey

Wind: Cyclonic in north, otherwise westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: South or southwest 6 or 7, decreasing 4 or 5.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6, occasionally 7, becoming south 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough at first.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Rain or showers, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.