Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

The general synopsis at 0600

High Fair Isle 1031 slow moving, declining 1030 by 0600 tomorrow. Low just west of FitzRoy 1011, expected just northwest of FitzRoy 1013 by same time

Issued at: 10:30 (UTC) on Tue 14 Jul 2026.

For the period 12:00 (UTC) on Tue 14 Jul 2026 to 12:00 (UTC) on Wed 15 Jul 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

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

North Utsire

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

South Utsire

Wind: Variable, mainly northerly, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Forties

Wind: Variable, mainly northerly, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Cromarty

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate, but poor later.

Forth

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate, but poor later.

Tyne

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate, but poor later.

Dogger

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming slight later.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate, but poor later.

Fisher

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first in northwest.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

German Bight

Wind: Northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth in east.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good occasionally moderate, but poor later.

Humber

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Thames

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Dover

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Wight

Wind: Northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Portland

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, decreasing 3 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming smooth or slight for a time.
Weather: Mainly fair, thundery showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Plymouth

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, decreasing 3 for a time.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Mainly fair, thundery showers later.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Biscay

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming north or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first in northwest, occasionally smooth in east.
Weather: Fog patches at first in north, thundery showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor, but very poor at first in north.

Trafalgar

Wind: Northwesterly 3 to 5 in far southeast and southwesterly 3 to 5 in northwest, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate in northwest.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers, fog patches later in southeast.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor, but very poor later in southeast.

Sole

Wind: East 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good occasionally poor.

Lundy

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers, perhaps thundery at first in southwest.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: East or northeast 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth in east.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Shannon

Wind: East 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good occasionally very poor.

Malin

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, becoming northeasterly 3 to 5 in southeast.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Hebrides

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good occasionally very poor.

Bailey

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 3 to 5 in north, otherwise variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate, becoming slight at times.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Fair Isle

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, but southeasterly 3 to 5 in southwest.
Sea state: Slight, but slight or moderate in northwest.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Variable 2 to 4, but southwesterly 3 to 5 in northwest.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good occasionally very poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Southwesterly 5 to 7.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Drizzle, fog banks developing.
Visibility: Moderate or good, becoming moderate to 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.