Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at midday

Low FitzRoy 1015 losing its identity by midday tomorrow. New high expected Irish Sea 1023 by same time

Issued at: 16:25 (UTC) on Sun 09 Aug 2026.

For the period 18:00 (UTC) on Sun 09 Aug 2026 to 18:00 (UTC) on Mon 10 Aug 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6, increasing 7 later in east.
Sea state: Moderate becoming rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.

Forties

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate in southwest, but in northeast, moderate becoming rough.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.

Cromarty

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly veering northwesterly, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first and moderate later.

Forth

Wind: West veering northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate in east.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Tyne

Wind: West veering northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Dogger

Wind: West veering northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Fisher

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5 veering northwesterly 4 to 6, increasing 7 later in northeast.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, becoming rough later.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

German Bight

Wind: Southwesterly 3 to 5 veering northwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Smooth or slight becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Rain then showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4 becoming north or northwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, becoming slight or moderate later.
Weather: Occasional rain.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Thames

Wind: Southwest veering northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable mainly northeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth becoming slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Dover

Wind: Southwest veering northwest 3 to 5, becoming variable mainly northeast 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth becoming slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Good.

Wight

Wind: West 3 to 5 veering northwest 2 to 4, then becoming variable later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Portland

Wind: West 3 to 5 veering northwest 2 to 4, then becoming variable later.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Plymouth

Wind: West 3 to 5 veering northwest 2 to 4, then becoming variable later.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Good.

Biscay

Wind: Northwesterly veering northerly 3 or 4, occasionally 5 in north, becoming variable 3 or less in south.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers in southeast.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor 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.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Sole

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

Lundy

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Showers for a time.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fastnet

Wind: West or southwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in northeast.
Weather: Showers for a time.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Irish Sea

Wind: Cyclonic becoming north 3 to 5, then becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Occasional rain at first.
Visibility: Good, occasionally poor at first.

Shannon

Wind: Northwest 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less, then southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Rockall

Wind: Northwest 3 or 4 becoming variable 3 or less, then southeast 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Occasional rain or showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Malin

Wind: North or northwest 3 to 5 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good.

Hebrides

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

Bailey

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

Fair Isle

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first in north.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Faeroes

Gale warning: Issued: 15:56 (UTC) on Sun 09 Aug 2026

Gale force 8 now backed northwesterly

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 5 to 7, occasionally gale 8 at first in northeast, then decreasing 3 to 5 later.
Sea state: Moderate or rough, occasionally very rough at first.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Westerly or northwesterly 4 to 6 becoming variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Moderate or rough becoming slight or moderate.
Weather: Showers.
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.