Coast and Sea

Shipping forecast and gale warnings

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The general synopsis at 1800

New high expected German Bight 1032 by 1800 Sunday

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

For the period 00:00 (UTC) on Sun 24 May 2026 to 00:00 (UTC) on Mon 25 May 2026.

Shipping forecast and gale warnings map

Shipping forecast and gale warnings explained

Viking

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

North Utsire

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, backing southerly for a time, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

South Utsire

Wind: Westerly or southwesterly, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally moderate at first.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forties

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Cromarty

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Forth

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight, occasionally smooth.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Tyne

Wind: West or southwest, occasionally variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dogger

Wind: West or southwest, occasionally variable, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Fisher

Wind: West or southwest 3 or 4.
Sea state: Slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

German Bight

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Humber

Wind: Variable 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Thames

Wind: Variable becoming mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Dover

Wind: Variable becoming mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Wight

Wind: Variable becoming mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Portland

Wind: Variable becoming mainly northeast, 2 to 4.
Sea state: Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in west.
Weather: Mainly fair.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

Plymouth

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

Biscay

Wind: North or northeast 3 to 5.
Sea state: Slight or moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers in south, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Trafalgar

Wind: Mainly northerly or northwesterly 3 to 5, but cyclonic, mainly easterly, 6 or 7 in southeast, perhaps gale 8 later in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally rough in far southeast, slight at times later in northeast.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good.

FitzRoy

Wind: Cyclonic mainly north or northeast, 3 to 5.
Sea state: Moderate.
Weather: Thundery showers in south, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Sole

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

Lundy

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

Fastnet

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

Irish Sea

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, becoming variable 2 to 4 later.
Sea state: Smooth or slight.
Weather: Fog patches at first.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor at first.

Shannon

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6, becoming variable 2 to 4 later in southeast.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Rockall

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Malin

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Hebrides

Wind: Southerly or southwesterly 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Bailey

Wind: South or southwest, 4 to 6.
Sea state: Rough.
Weather: Showers.
Visibility: Good, occasionally moderate.

Fair Isle

Wind: South or southwest 3 to 5, occasionally 6 at first.
Sea state: Moderate, occasionally slight in east and rough in west.
Weather: Occasional rain or drizzle, fog patches.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Faeroes

Wind: Southwest 4 to 6.
Sea state: Moderate or rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or good, occasionally poor.

Southeast Iceland

Wind: Cyclonic, mainly southwesterly, 4 to 6, occasionally 7 at first.
Sea state: Mainly rough.
Weather: Rain or showers.
Visibility: Moderate or 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.